


Hope is a Waking Dream

by pharmtechgirl71



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-30
Updated: 2016-01-23
Packaged: 2018-03-04 07:33:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 61,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2995742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pharmtechgirl71/pseuds/pharmtechgirl71
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set between Seasons 2 and 3. Melissa Sheppard is alone in the ZA, but she was alone before the dead owned the earth. She prefers it that way. Boy, is she pissed when she gets back to her cabin to find it has been taken by strangers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 5

**Author's Note:**

> Just a new one I thought I would try here. I have been publishing it on FF and thought I would let it live here too, Comments are encouraged. Love you all!

Chapter One

Melissa trudged through the woods back to her cabin. Carrying critters was weighing her down. She was exhausted and considering just going to sleep when she got back instead of taking time to cook. She could see the cabin through the trees, but was still too far away to see the smoke coming from the chimney. That cabin had been a Godsend. Whomever it belonged to must have been one of those doomsday preppers. The fully stocked basement had cans and boxes of food covering the walls from floor to ceiling. She had been very lucky in that there hadn’t been many dead ones around. Whoever owned this cabin must not have made it there in time, because it was locked up tighter than a drum when she found it. Before the cabin, she had slept in trees and small caves she had found. She only had two hunting knives and a 9mm Beretta, so catching food had been difficult. She hated using the gun because it attracted those things. By her estimation, she had been there for a month, maybe a month and a half. She had begun to think that she was the only human on the planet left breathing, until she cleared the tree line and saw a vehicle parked by the door of the cabin.  
“What the actual fuck?” she said to herself and crept closer to the vehicle. She took out one of her knives and held it at the ready. As she approached the automobile, she noticed that the interior of the cabin was bathed in candlelight and there were shadows moving inside. She steps quickly around the vehicle and sees two more behind it along with a motorcycle. Must be a damn family reunion, she thought. She worked her way around the cars to the side of the cabin trying to look in the boarded up windows. She could hear whispers inside, but couldn’t understand what they were saying. Suddenly she heard the front door squeak open. She peered around the side to the front. She could tell someone was standing there, but she could not tell what he looked like. It was definitely a man, that fact she knew without question. He was tall and had something bulky hanging at his back. She could smell cigarette smoke and saw the cherry as he inhaled. She watched carefully as he just stood there looking out into the woods. Soon, he moved to sit on the steps. He unstrapped the monstrosity from his body and laid it beside him. Another man came out the door and sat next to him. Neither said a word for a while until she heard the first man say something about watch duty and hunting. The other man stood up and patted him on the back as he went inside. She saw the man visibly flinch at the contact, but he did not move from his spot on the steps.  
She took that opportunity to continue her trek around the cabin. She had taught herself to be stealthy, not just for hunting and avoiding the dead ones, but also to avoid any breathers, if there were any left. There weren’t but a couple windows in the back. The cabin was small with two bedrooms, a kitchen, and the living area with a fireplace. Melissa glanced through the boarded windows as she passed, mainly concentrating on anything that might be outside with her. She hadn’t heard a sound since she had moved to the backside of the cabin. As she turned the corner, she ran straight into a brick wall. Well, it felt like a brick wall. Whatever it was, it knocked her clear onto her ass, her knife flying out of her hand. As she was falling backward, she thought maybe she had missed the corner and run into the cabin itself. However, when she looked up, she saw the man, the man with the monstrosity, and he had it pointed at her head.  
“Who the fuck are you?” the man shouted at her.  
“Who the fuck are you?” Melissa replied. “You’re the one committing a home invasion!”  
“I asked you a question bitch! Now get your ass up, slowly, and give me your weapons.” He growled.  
“I ain’t giving you shit motherfucker! Get your goddamn circus and get the fuck out of my home!” she yelled, not caring now if it brought the dead. Maybe she could get them to take care of her visitors so she wouldn’t have to spill blood herself. The dead never showed, but the cabin did empty. At least four people poured out of the front door, guns and knives ready. The other man she had seen that night came over to stand next to the one who was ready to kill her.   
“Daryl, what the hell is going on?” he asked.   
“Stupid bitch thought she could sneak up on me. Was coming around the back to attack us.”  
“Whoa whoa whoa,” Melissa said. This miserable little shit wasn’t just trying to take her home, he was gonna get her lynched. “You hold up one damn minute asshat. If you think that ya’ll can come in here and take my place and me not fight you, you’re fucked in the head!”  
“You’ve been living here?” the other man asked.  
“For at least a month, maybe more. Bet you didn’t find a damn bit of anything in there either. Only shit that’s left is the shit that’s too bad to eat. Now, I appreciate the fact that ya’ll need food and shelter, but you got vehicles. Get in them. Drive away. Sleep in them. They will protect you. Just. Get. The. Fuck. Outta. Here.  
“Hold on a minute,” the man says. “We could stay here together. We can help you. We have numbers. Daryl here is our hunter, he provides for us. We can work together. We have children, my wife is pregnant. Please, let’s work this out. My name’s Rick Grimes.”  
“Rick, what the hell are you doing?” the maniac asked, obviously pissed off that he hadn’t been given a direct order to kill.  
“I’m thinking about my family Daryl. I’m thinking that Lori and the baby will have a better chance if she doesn’t have to give birth in a car or the woods.” Rick said. “What’s your name?” he asked her.  
“Melissa Sheppard,” she said. She looked over the small crowd gathered. Her heart was racing. She didn’t know if it was anger or anxiousness. She hated people. Before the world went to shit, she had chosen to be alone. After her parents died, she had no family left. She chose to stay away, made a concerted effort not to be ‘sociable’. People can hurt you. They will hurt you. Best keep your distance. “Listen, ya’ll can stay inside tonight. It’s gonna be a tight squeeze, but I’m sure ya’ll are used to that. I’m also pretty sure that you’ve already got all your shit set up in there.” She threw her rabbits to the ground at Daryl’s feet. “If you’re a hunter, you’ll know what to do with those. Just stay out of my way.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Melissa and Daryl get to annoy each other.

Chapter Two

Melissa stormed passed them and into the cabin. Sure enough, they had their shit scattered everywhere. She stopped cold when she realized that there were eyes on her. She looked around a saw a petit blonde girl, a taller brunette, a skeletal pregnant woman with a young boy beside her and a grey haired lady. They looked at her as if she was one of those feral children found in France. She just growled at them and walked back into the room that she had taken as her own. She could hear Rick and Daryl talking to the others, but she wasn’t paying attention. The room was dark as she approached. She flicked her zippo, but it was too late. She tripped over something big and landed on her ass, again. Goddamn mouth breathers and their shit! She picked herself up off the floor and carefully walked over to the dresser that was in the corner. She took a blanket out of it and stepped over the shit on the floor and back out into the living area. She just looked at them, all watching her. They had to have been talking about her; she was the latest impediment to their safety. She had no interest in them or what they thought of her. She just walked right passed them and through the front door. Grumbling to herself, she laid down on the front porch and pulled the blanket over her body. Fall was coming and it was starting to get chilly at night. Tomorrow she was setting down rules. Rule number one: No one is allowed in her bedroom. She’s taking that back, and she doesn’t care whose stuff is in there either. She’s had this place for herself for too long to let this happen.  
Everyone just watched her walk out the door. Rick just shook his head as Daryl plopped down in front of the fireplace. “So, she’s been here the whole time?” Lori asked.  
“No, not the whole time. Around a month she said.” Rick replied.  
“Maybe we should leave, give her back her home. We shouldn’t be here if she doesn’t want us here.” Carol said.  
“She said we could stay tonight and we’re gonna talk about it tomorrow. We’re gonna convince her that we need to stay; that Lori and the baby are safe here. We were able to convince Herschel to let us stay at the farm.”  
“Rick,” Herschel said, “I should have allowed you to stay in my home much sooner than I did. We might not have suffered as many loses as we have. But I thought I was protecting my family. This girl has no one to protect but herself. Self-preservation is a strong motivator. Maybe I should talk to her, or maybe Carol. This girl is hostile and she won’t take kindly to your persuasion. She needs to be dealt with by a sensitive and empathetic person. She’s not use to having people around and doesn’t deal well with it. There is only one of us who can see through her eyes.”  
Recognition and trepidation flashed across everyone’s face when they realized about whom Herschel was speaking. That conversation would be a nuclear explosion. Those two had already gotten off on the wrong foot, neither would tolerate the company of the other long enough to resolve anything If their fate was dependent upon his people skills, they were out on their asses. He, however, either wasn’t listening or was trying to avoid the topic; he just continued to stare into the fire, watching the rabbit cook. No one was willing to approach him with the idea, he’d already had one confrontation tonight, and nobody wanted to risk another. He was still stewing about what had happened earlier with the girl. Everyone silently decided that the conversation was over for the night and headed to bed. Once all the candles were extinguished, the fire kept burning. Once he felt everyone was sleeping, he stood up and walked to the front window. He watched her dark figure laying on the porch. He heard everything Herschel said, and whether or not he had a point, he wasn’t about to negotiate with this girl. He’d rather sleep in the trees every night than kiss this bitch’s ass for a roof over his head. He understood that Rick as thinking of his family and that he considered the whole group his family, but Daryl didn’t. He had lost his only remaining family to these arrogant assholes who didn’t even know what it truly meant to survive. He refused to do it; he refused to barter for these people. He would tell Rick in the morning and if he had a problem with that, so be it. Daryl Dixon wasn’t anybody’s bitch.  
The next morning, Melissa woke up early to go hunting. She wanted to get out of there before any of them woke up. She knew they would give her the bleeding heart, we’re all human, and why can’t we all get along speech. Although she did have concern for the unborn child, she had none for the adults responsible for it. She folded the blanket she had slept under and placed it on the rocking chair in the opposite corner. She quietly walked around the house to the side where she had encountered Daryl last night. Looking on the ground, she finally found the knife she had dropped lying a couple of feet away from where her ass had landed. Sheathing it in her boot, she headed out into the woods. She had been out for at least an hour when she found her first squirrel. For some reason, the critters were scarce this morning. As the squirrel paused on its way up the tree trunk, she released her knife and hit the creature square in the middle. Unfortunately, an arrow went flying straight into its head at the exact same time. Son of a Bitch, she said to herself as she heard footsteps approaching.  
“Nice shot” he said, almost pleasantly. He strode passed her to the tree, yanking out his arrow and her knife. When he turned around to face her, the squirrels on his hip shook. That’s where they went, she thought. “You’ve taken almost all the food in the woods for yourself dumbass. That one is mine.”  
“I’ve got more mouths to feed, dumbass. You can have this one though, you earned it. Seeing as how your skills haven’t got you nothing so far. I won’t make you starve.” Daryl said, full of himself.  
“I’m really having a hard time not killing you right now.” Melissa hissed. “You people have taken my home, my security and now you’re taking my food. You’re as bad as the dead ones, except they’re easier to get rid of.”  
“Hey, I’m not doing jack shit to you bitch. Just trying to survive, like you. These woods are pretty damn big; no reason you can’t go a little further out. Besides, I was up and out a lot earlier than you. You didn’t even stir when I came out the door and walked right past you. If you want to survive much longer, I’d suggest you pay better attention to your surroundings. I could’ve slit your throat while you were sleeping; then I wouldn’t have to listen to your whiney ass. If it was up to me, we would’ve been outta here last night.”  
Melissa was enraged. She stalked right over to Daryl, “Who the fuck do you think you are talking to me like that? I’ve survived this long because I am capable, I know how to take care of myself and, up until now, I’ve been able to avoid douche bags like you and your friends! I didn’t invite you here! I didn’t ask for ya’lls company! I let you stay because I didn’t really have a choice! I’m not being nice to you! Ya’ll took from me, just like every other fucking worthless human on this planet! I’m not asking for your protection, or your help! I don’t need you and ya’ll certainly don’t need me! I gave you your one night of shelter! When I get back to that cabin, ya’ll better not be there, or I swear to shit I will burn that fucker down with ya’ll and your shit in it!”  
Daryl just stood there, stunned out of his mind. Of all the women he’d ever encountered, this girl was the fucking meanest, dumbest of them all. He grabbed her by the arm and put his face right in hers, “You ain’t gonna do a fucking thing to those people. They are under my protection. If you breathe in their direction, I will take you out and not regret it. I didn’t want to be here, I didn’t want to stay, but I ain’t the leader. I was alone for a long time before I met these people, I can handle it just fine. They can’t. You are not gonna scare us or threaten us. We will stay here as long as Rick says we will. If you don’t like it, find a tree to sleep in.” He let go of her arm and walked away back toward the cabin. Stopping only to drop her knife to the ground and throw the squirrel in her direction.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Melissa gets to know some of the group, whether she wants to or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the kudos. I am glad that some of you like this. Here's another one for you. Please comment and let me know what you think.

Chapter 3

She just stood there with her mouth wide open, watching Daryl walk away. She barely registered the squirrel land at her feet. She didn’t dare move until she couldn’t see him anymore. For some reason her anger had lessened. What the fuck just happened? He actually touched her, he got in her face and wasn’t hesitant about it. People had always been wary about getting near her, most thought she was crazy and avoided her at all costs. In the last fifteen years of her life, another human hadn’t touched her. She could still feel the anger in his grip and looked down to see the red mark that would soon become a bruise. Yet, her anger did not return. After about ten minutes of confusion, she picked up the squirrel and her knife and headed back to the cabin. When she arrived, the old man and the blonde girl were sitting on the front steps. They didn’t look unfriendly, so she thought she would give them a chance. She approached them slowly. When she reached the bottom step, she spoke. “My name is Melissa. I apologize for my behavior last night. I’ve gotten use to being alone and I don’t care for people much. Ya’ll took me by surprise.” Both looked at her with soft, caring eyes. The old man spoke. “My name is Herschel. This is my daughter Beth. We appreciate you letting us stay here last night. I would like to make an apology myself. I am sorry we scared you. We would never hurt you and I understand your wariness of strangers. Being alone isn’t easy, especially now.”  
“Thank you,” Melissa said quietly. “It’s not you personally. I don’t know any of you. I’ve been alone for a long time and I never cared for people much. Never met any that were good. But I haven’t given ya’ll a chance. You can stay here as long as you want, but don’t expect me to be social. Don’t plan on making me a part of your group.”  
Beth stood and put her arms around Melissa’s neck. The second time in one hour someone has touched her. It didn’t hurt this time, but she didn’t know how to respond. Turns out, she didn’t have to, because Beth quickly let her go. She smiled her sweet, innocent, happy Beth smile and Melissa tried, but failed, to return it. “Thank you,” Beth said. “I’m gonna go tell everybody. They’re gonna be so relieved.” She quickly ran up the steps and through the door.  
“You’ll have to forgive Bethy. Since we had to leave the farm, she’s missed the stability of walls and a roof. She’s still hopeful in all this. If you need a light, she is it.”  
“She seems like a very innocent girl. I bet you are a wonderful father. You’ve protected her very well. I hope that she never loses that. I hope that your group can keep her safe.”  
“We try to keep everyone safe, Melissa. Rick is our leader and he has done many things to keep his family safe and secure. Although we are not all blood related, that group inside is every bit family. Maybe we can keep you safe too. We would love to have you as a member of our family.”  
“Thank you, Herschel. That’s very nice of you to say, but I don’t think everyone in your group would agree. I don’t think I would feel comfortable being around this many people for long; and I certainly don’t think they are comfortable around me at all.” Melissa sighed, thinking about her encounter with Daryl earlier in the woods. Something about that bothered her; something about him bothered her. “I’ve made a bad impression, but some of yours have too. You can’t blame me for being hostile, especially when you’re hostile toward me.”  
“You’re referring to Daryl, I assume.” Herschel said, with a smirk on his face. “He is an angry man. He has not had a good life, before or after the turn. He’s lost people that he cared about and blames some of us for it. We are very lucky that he has decided to stay with us. He’s a strong man but doesn’t relate to others very well. He’s a little like you, I think.”  
“I would rather avoid him,” Melissa stated. “Honestly, I would rather avoid you all, but I don’t think that’s possible anymore. Like I said before, don’t expect me at dinner every night. I’ll stay out of ya’lls way if you’ll do the same for me.” She stood up and took her squirrel and knife back behind the cabin, hoping to be alone. The old man seemed to be nice, his daughter, however, had gotten on her nerves. She’s probably perfectly fine child, but Melissa was afraid she would puke a rainbow at some point. As she rounded the corner of the cabin to the back, she heard him talking to someone. She didn’t stop or pause. She wasn’t gonna cower around this asshole. If he wanted to leave, she would give him a boost out the door. He was talking to the grey haired woman. They were sitting next to a fire where the rest of the squirrels were cooking. She quickly and quietly passed them and went over to a big oak tree where she sat against the trunk to skin her squirrel. She could hear the two of them talking in muffled voices and then the sound of a door slamming. The rustling of leaves caused her to look behind her to the grey haired woman walking toward her. “Hello. My name is Carol. Thank you for letting us stay.”  
“I’m not letting you stay. Your muscle isn’t giving me a choice. I won’t bother ya’ll if ya’ll don’t bother me. Just don’t think this is permanent.” Melissa said.  
“You’ll have to overlook Daryl. He’s a little, well, he’s abrasive and not very friendly. But he’s gotten better. He’s not as bad as he used to be.”  
Oh my God, Melissa thought. He’s mellowed? “I would love to overlook him. I’d prefer to overlook all of you, but you’ve made that hard. I can handle him, if that’s your concern. I’ve known men like him; they tend to think I’m a stupid bitch. I’m alright with that though, he’ll find out different, it he keeps pushing me.”  
“Daryl is still learning how to deal with people.” Carol said and sat down in front of her. “He’s not a social person. He only ever had his brother, and he lost him a while back. We’re not bad people, we’ll help out, do whatever needs to be done. We want to earn our place here.”  
“You have no place here. No offense, but I’m not gonna pretend to accept this situation. I am resigned to it. I can’t fight all of you. But, I will not pretend to be a part of your group. I’m not your host and ya’ll aren’t my guests. You saw something you wanted and you took it, without regard to anyone or anything. Good people don’t do that.”  
Carol was stunned. The girl had a point. “If you had been here when we found it, we would’ve let you be. We never would have set up and got comfortable. We thought we had found a place where we could rest, a place to feel safe for a while. We’ve been through so much in the last few weeks, and we’re all just scared. This cabin was a haven for us. I hope that you can forgive us and forgive Daryl. He’s brash and surly, but he’s a good protector and provider. He cares about all of us, even though he denies it. I hope that we can work things out between us. “Then she stood up, giving Melissa hesitant smile and headed back to the cabin.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gone huntin'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for the kudos and comments. They make my day. Hope you enjoy this chapter. Let me know what you think.

Chapter 4

That stupid old man and that stupid old woman were trying to get to her, trying to get her sympathy. She had no sympathy for anyone. These people probably lived wonderful lives before all this. They had families, pets, and dinner at the table together every night. She had no idea how that felt. That fucking moron with the bow probably even had a good old country family lifestyle growing up in some shack in the woods. She sat under that tree long after she had skinned her squirrel. She would make her own fire soon; she would not share with them, that would give the wrong impression. She looked around at the other people, just milling around. Maybe they’ll forget she even exists, everyone else had been able to do that. She saw that kid walking around alone, the mother nowhere in sight. The others just standing around and didn’t notice he was there. She just watched him; he had no weapon that she could see. How are these dipshits still alive? She stood and walked toward him. She may not give a shit about the adults, but the kid is a different matter. “Hey, you.” Carl turned at the sound of her voice. “Where the hell do you think you’re going without a weapon? In case you don’t know, there’s danger in the woods.” Melissa said handing him the knife she didn’t use to skin the squirrel. “Take this with ya. Do you have a purpose to going out there or are you just wondering around?” Before he could answer, she heard, “I’m gonna give him a tracking lesson. He’ll be just fine, he’ll be with me.”  
“Does his momma or daddy know that?” She tried, so hard, to be civil.  
“His pops does, ain’t none of your business though. Didn’t think you gave a shit about any of us anyway.” The redneck said harshly.  
“You? No, I don’t, but he’s an unarmed kid. You, of all people, Mr. High and Mighty, should know better than to let a kid loose unprotected.” She tried, so hard, to stay calm.  
“His momma don’t think he’s old enough to handle a weapon.” That’s why I brought him this.” The redneck produced a nice size hunting knife, almost like her own. “I ain’t stupid, no matter what you think. I ain’t gonna risk losing him or getting him hurt. Damn been through that already. I can keep him safe. Gonna teach him how to take care of himself in case something happens.”  
“Fine. He’s in good hands. I’ll leave ya to it.” As she turned around to go back to her tree, she heard, “My name’s Carl. You can come with us, if ya like. I’m sure there’s something you can teach me too. I mean, you’ve been out here by yourself for a long time and you’re still alive. There’s gotta be something ya know.”  
She turned around and saw the annoyed look on the rednecks face. “Well, Carl, my name is Melissa and I do have some advice for you. Be very afraid of strangers, and don’t get lost in the woods with crazy people. You never know what they’ll throw at you.”  
Daryl looked at her and couldn’t decide if she was being a bitch or a smart ass. He decided the latter because she wasn’t screaming. “That’s right, Carl. Ya might be trying to nail a squirrel running up a tree and almost get stabbed by someone instead. That’s why I’m taking ya out, instead of some crazy person.”  
“Melissa’s not crazy. She‘s just not used to all of us yet.” Carl said to Daryl. “She can come with us, please?” Daryl looked to him, exasperated. He loved Carl; he was a good kid, and he’d had a lot of shit piled on top of him. “If she wants ta. Don’t much care. Her decision.”  
“Please, Melissa?” Carl begged.  
Damn, she thought, this day just gets better and better. They’re all ganging up on me. She had no problem putting an adult in their place, but not a kid. She couldn’t hurt a kid’s feelings. “Don’t really know why ya want me to go, but okay, I’ll go. I don’t know how in the hell I’m gonna enhance your little lesson, but I’ll do it.”  
They headed out through the woods, Daryl in front, Carl behind him and Melissa in the back. They walked for about five minutes before Daryl stopped them. He bent down on one knee and motioned for Carl to join him. “What do you see?” he asked the boy. Carl just looked at the ground for a few seconds and then said, “The leaves look messed up and a little flat. Something walked right over them.”  
“Yep,” Daryl replied. Melissa went over to look. Standing above them she looked at the ground and said, “It’s a deer, baby probably. Only parts of the leaves are crushed flat. An adult deer would’ve crushed the whole thing.” Carl and Daryl looked at each other, Carl waiting for Daryl to confirm or deny. “She’s right kid. She knows her shit.” He said to the boy. He looked at her and shook his head, little smirk on his face. “Okay, let’s follow the tracks; see what we can get for dinner.”  
They continued for a good two hours until they found a small creek. Their steps light, they approached with little noise. Carl was the first to spot it, drinking from the water. Daryl turned to them and put his finger to his mouth as if neither Melissa nor Carl knew to stay quiet. They crouched down behind the trees and Daryl got into position with his crossbow. He aimed carefully, studying the deer for sudden movement, breathed in deeply and released the bolt. A perfect, silent kill, a heart shot. The deer fell where it stood and Daryl released the breath he had been holding. Looking around the three hunters stepped from behind the trees and approached the animal.  
“Now what do we do?” asked the boy.  
“We gut it and drain the blood from it. We’ll bury the innards so it won’t attract no walkers.” Daryl replied as he took his hunting knife from its sheath.  
“Walkers?” Melissa asked.  
“That’s what we call them; the dead things.” Carl said to ease her confusion.  
“That’s about the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.” She looked right at Daryl. “You do know that not all of them walk, right? You’ve seen them without legs, right? That’s not a very good description on the whole. Bet you came up with that one, didn’t ya hick?” She said laughing.  
“Dumbass bitch. I knew it was a bad idea to bring you with. Don’t ask again Carl, ‘cause she ain’t coming out here with us.” He finished gutting the deer and handed the parts to Melissa. “Bury these. Make yourself useful.” She bit her tongue and went to dig a hole. She didn’t know that Carl had followed her. “I think my dad came up with that name, but I don’t remember, it was a long time ago. Daryl’s a really cool guy once you get to know him and he’s a lot friendlier than he use to be.”  
“That’s the second time today I’ve heard that,” Melissa said and turned to Carl. “I don’t think he wants me to know him. What I’ve met of the rest of ya’lls group seems nice, but he’s a loose cannon.”  
“Do you think my dad would trust me with a loose cannon? Daryl is the most stable person I know aside from Hershel. He’s saved us all over and over. He hunts for us, makes sure that Carol eats, and that my mom is take care of. My dad doesn’t talk to her anymore, so Daryl makes sure she’s eating too and Hershel watches the baby.” Melissa didn’t know what to say.  
“He’s known ya’ll for a long time. Hershel told me ya’lls like family. Those are the things family is supposed to do for one another. I’m not good with people, Carl. I don’t know what to say or how to act. Everything I do and say pisses that hick off. You seem okay though and so does your dad.”   
An hour after the deer gave its life for their dinner, they headed back to the cabin. Daryl was carrying it on his shoulders, each hand holding a set of legs. The walk back was quiet, but Melissa was beginning to think about what Carl, Carol and Hershel had said to her today. The things they had told her about him kinda made sense and kinda didn’t. The others had seemed nice; she couldn’t understand why they would want him around if he were just an angry dick all the time. They wouldn’t expose the kid to that, would they? He had seemed to get along with him and the kid had seemed comfortable and familiar with him. Maybe, he was just conning them all. He wouldn’t be the first person to pretend to be something he’s not to get something he wants. She would keep an eye on him. If he was going to be staying in her home, she needed to know who he really was.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daryl is a creeper.

Chapter 5

Maybe she wasn’t as ignorant as he had hoped she was. She seemed like she could track pretty well and she’s quiet enough in the woods. Before he had come out to fetch Carl, he had been in the cabin with the others and everybody was talking about her; Herschel and Carol talking about how all her fierceness was just a defense mechanism. He’d heard that about himself when he was younger. That’s what his high school guidance counselor had said about him. He’d had a lot more anger then, but he still didn’t understand it. Apparently, she had given in and was letting them stay, as long as they left her alone. Not a fucking problem, Daryl thought. There should be some good hunting around here. He had done pretty well this morning, maybe he could find a deer later when he went out with Carl. Before he walked out the door, Carol stopped him and asked if they could talk. They walked into the second bedroom; the one Melissa had been sleeping in, until last night. “She’s not giving in to us Daryl. She’s not fighting anymore because she feels she can’t win against us. She said she’s resigned to it, not accepting it. I know you’ve just been trying to protect us, but you don’t need to do that from her. She won’t hurt us unless we threaten her. Be nice Daryl. Herschel seems to think that the two of ya’ll have something in common, besides your aggressive personalities. You’ve grown in these past months, you’re not as angry as you were at the quarry. Since Merle’s been gone, you’ve become a better man. You’ve moved out from under his shadow and you can be the man you’ve always wanted to be. You’re a compassionate man Daryl. We’ve all seen it, when you were looking for my little girl. You didn’t have to do that, there was no obligation on your part. That was by your own volition, you made that choice. We’ll need to make sure that girl knows we won’t hurt her or take from her. She’s skittish, just like you were. Only you know how to get through that. Remember how you felt at the quarry when you thought you had to fight us all the time? That’s her now. You can make this better for all of us if you try.”  
“What do ya’ll want from me woman?” Daryl said, exasperated. “She don’t wanna have nothing to do with me, not after this morning anyway. If this is up to me, then we’re all fucked.” He stands and walks out the door, leaving Carol sitting on the bed. On his way to the backdoor, he can see Rick and Herschel talking and looking at him. He speeds up and gets out the door before the two can bat an eye. What does he see as he goes outside? Her, talking to Carl. She had better not be talking shit to him, he’d put her in her place, again. As he got closer, he heard her ask why he was out by himself. Before he knew it, the three of them were in the woods together. She had identified the tracks as a small deer and she had been right. Maybe she does know her shit. She has been completely alone since the beginning of this thing; at least that’s what she had told everybody. At least she was quieter than the boy was; he stomped over every leaf and branch on the ground. She wasn’t chatty either, benefits of being alone for so long he guessed. She probably kept her thoughts to herself, just like him.  
Finally, he could hear a creek up ahead. Hopefully, dinner had stopped for a drink. When Carl spotted him, or her, he had shushed them and assumed the position. Aiming and taking a deep breath, he let the bolt fly. Perfect shot, duh. It hadn’t been a bad afternoon after all, considering the company, until she opened her mouth. He didn’t give a shit about what Carol had said or what Rick or Herschel thought, he’d be damned if he was gonna let an arrogant little bitch talk to him like that. Guess they all were fucked.  
The walk back to camp was excruciating, but thankfully silent. Carl could sense the anger in both of them. He had tried to talk to Melissa, but he didn’t think he did a very good job. He heard Herschel tell her that she and Daryl were alike, so he thought if they could have time to talk and get to know each other, they would get along. Maybe he could get Beth or Carol to help, they knew about relationships. He had heard his mom once say that opposites attract. Maybe she’s right, ‘cause these two had the exact same personality and were at each other’s throats. When they got back to camp, everyone praised Daryl for the feast he had brought them. Melissa had been walking behind them for some time and it took her ten minutes to catch up. When she appeared at the tree line, Carl ran up to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Thank you so much for going with us. Can you take me out again tomorrow?”  
“Daryl doesn’t want me going with ya’ll anymore, remember?”  
“I meant just you and me. Dad will say it’s okay. You helped keep me safe; you’re a good tracker. Daryl will vouch for you.” He said excitedly.  
“Daryl will not vouch for me. He’s so pissed right now; he wouldn’t put me out of my misery if I was bit. He’ll make sure your dad doesn’t want you anywhere near me.”  
“Not if I get to him first. Daryl’s real sensitive ‘bout people thinking he’s stupid. Maybe if you said you’re sorry, he won’t be mad anymore.” Carl said and gave her puppy dog eyes.  
“I’ll think about it.” She said and went into the cabin. Carol and Lori were busy cutting the meat for dinner, well Carol mostly; Lori was trying not to wretch. “So, how did he do?” Lori asked her.  
“I think he did a great job. He needs to work on stealth, he has heavy footsteps, but he’s gonna be a great tracker. He’s very observant. Notices things you wouldn’t think he did. Got to be careful around him,” she said and laughed despite herself.  
“Believe me,” Lori said, “I’ve already learned that. We washed some clothes in that brook half a mile up. There are clean ones for you if ya want to get out of those nasty ones.”  
“You washed my clothes?” Melissa questioned. “Why?”  
“We were washing ours, made sense to do yours too. Would’ve been ridiculous not to.” Lori replied. Great, Melissa thought, now I owe them.   
“Thank you. That was thoughtful of you. It’s appreciated. I’m gonna go up to the brook and wash up a little. Probably won’t be more than an hour. If I can do anything to help ya’ll out, let me know.” She said that last part reluctantly, but she meant it. She’d never been indebted to anyone her whole life, she wasn’t going to start with these fuckers. She took the clothes that were laying on the bed she had been sleeping in until recently and gabbed a towel and her knife on her way out the door. She reached the brook in ten minutes and realized she was alone. She had thought maybe the redneck had made his way down here, but if he had, he was gone now. She placed her clothes and towel on a tree stump by the brook. Not much water to work with, but enough to get clean. She looked around her one last time to make sure she was alone and began to undress. Shirt and bra first, then socks, boots, pants and panties. Her wash never took too long, this was a bad spot to be caught naked if any dead ones came by, live ones too for that matter.  
He crouched behind the trees and bushes on the opposite side of the brook. He had just got his clothes on when he heard her very faint footsteps. She was silent; he’d give her that. He was well hidden, he assumed, if he hadn’t been, she wouldn’t be stripping in front of him. Good God, she was taking off her fucking clothes, all of them. Well, he thought, that’s unexpected. He just sat there, crouched to the ground like a damn salivating dog. He hadn’t seen a woman’s body since before the world went to shit, long before the world went to shit. Those girls didn’t look like her. There had barely been a handful of them, but he remembered that none of them had tits like that. They were as big as his fucking hands, and his hands were pretty fucking big. Even though he could see her ribs, she had the sexiest curves he’s ever seen. Hell, none of those girls had curves at all. The way her body dipped at her hips and rounded out at her ass made his dick twitch. The brook was way too small to submerge in, so he could see all of her as she moved her hands over her body. He had to get out of there before he got too hard, but he just couldn’t control it. Fuck it, he told himself. No one’s gonna know, she can’t see him and as long as he can keep quiet, he wouldn’t attract walkers.  
He sat on his knees in the dirt and leaves. As quietly as he could, he unzipped and pulled his dick out already rock hard and leaking. He pumped himself hard and fast watching her hands rubbing those beautiful tits, running over her stomach and moving between her thighs. He came in record time. He was never able to last too long, with or without a woman, but this was outrageous. He closed his eyes tight and bit his lip as he spilled all over the ground. He took a moment to calm his heartbeat and slow his breathing. He tucked himself inside his pants before he looked back to where Melissa was bathing. Faster than he thought he could, he grabbed his bow and started running to the other side of the brook when he saw a walker step out from behind the tree Melissa had her back to.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yelling, talking and understanding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the kudos on this story. They make my heart flutter. Enjoy!

Chapter 6

Melissa heard a thump and a squish and turned around. The first thing she saw was a dead walker lying face down not two feet from where she was standing. The second thing she saw was an arrow sticking out of its skull. The third thing she saw was Daryl Dixon standing in front of her naked body. She didn’t know which thing to be pissed about the most. She almost forgot she was naked, but the look in Daryl’s eyes quickly reminded her. “Turn the fuck around! I gotta get my clothes dumbass!” She yelled and stomped out of the brook to get her things and went behind the tree to dress. When she disappeared, Daryl came to his senses. “What the fuck do you think you were doing?”  
“Getting damn deer guts off me! What the fuck you think?”  
“Didn’t mean that! I meant why the fuck were you doing it without your weapon close? Good damn thing I’s watching you or you’d be dinner!”  
Melissa stepped out from behind the tree and gave Daryl a thoughtful look. “You were watching me?”  
“Holy fuck woman. I’s watching out for ya, not watching ya. Not everything is about you. Good damn thing though, or I’d be putting you down right now.”  
“Your right, I was distracted. Should’ve had my weapon closer, should’ve done a few things different. You saved my life. Thank you.” Daryl just looked at her stunned. He just knew she was gonna start laughing at him or say something to humiliate him, but she didn’t. She just took her knife from the rock and walked to him. “I mean it Daryl. No one’s ever saved my life before. Maybe everyone’s right about you. And don’t worry, I was just joking about you watching me. I know you wouldn’t do that.” As she walks past him, he reaches out and grabs her wrist. “Why do you think that? You don’t know what kind of man I am.”  
“Don’t matter what kind of man you are,” she said meekly. “I’m nothing to look at.” He releases her and she continues toward the cabin. Why was she disappointed? Did she want him to see her bathing naked? Good God no! She would’ve been humiliated. She was indeed nothing to look at. No man had ever seen her body and no man ever would. Daryl kept a few feet behind her as they walked to camp. As they got closer, the smell of roasting deer filled the woods. Melissa’s stomach stated growling. She had never eaten the squirrel from this morning, not that it would’ve made a difference, but by now she was starving. She knew no matter how much she wanted some she would not take any. It was a matter of principle at this point. She would lose what little ground she held with these people if she gave in so soon. Now she had to worry about Daryl. He seems the kind who would want to flaunt the fact that she had been caught off guard and had to be saved by the brave bowman. If he did, she would not deny it; she couldn’t. She had been distracted thinking about him. Thinking about how different he was around her than those in his group. If they stayed here indefinitely, would things change between them? Could she leave her aggression to the side to get long with him, with them all? She immediately went straight into the cabin and to her bedroom. Closing the door behind her, she stood against it for a while. She could hear them inside the kitchen preparing what they had. She laid on the bed and thought about how much her perspective had changed over the past twenty-four hours.  
Daryl went around to the back where the fire was and saw Herschel sitting on one of the logs with Beth, Maggie, and Glenn. “Well hello Daryl. You found something wonderful today. God has provided for us all once again and used you for your purpose.”  
“Uh, yeah, listen, can I talk to you for a minute?” Daryl asked. Herschel could tell something was bothering him.  
“Of course, son. Let’s take a walk.” They walked towards the area where Daryl, Carl, and Melissa had gone hunting earlier. “Ya know Daryl, I didn’t mean to embarrass you back there, but I believe that God sent you to this group. They need your skills and you need their companionship.”  
“Yeah, I know. I’ve changed. That’s kinda what I wanted to talk to ya about. You talked to Melissa this morning, didn’t you?” he asked the old man.  
“Yes, after she got back; a few minutes after you returned. Why?”  
“I saw something and I don’t know what to think about it,” he said.  
“What did you see, Daryl?”  
“She let her guard down. If I hadn’t been there, she’d have got bit. Doesn’t seem like her. Don’t know nothing ‘bout her, ‘cept what I’ve seen since last night. She’s just not paying attention. Left her damn knife laying on a damn rock while she’s playing around in the brook.”  
“She probably felt safe knowing that you were looking out, son. She’s seen the way you protect us and felt confident you would do the same with her.” Herschel told him.  
“That’s the thing though. She didn’t know I’s there.” Herschel looked at him confused.   
“Didn’t both you both go out there to clean up? How could she not know you were there?”  
“Don’t wanna talk about that old man. She didn’t know I was there. That’s why I don’t know why she’d do something stupid like that.”  
Herschel patted Daryl on the shoulder as they continued to walk. “She’s had a lot to adjust to in the last twenty-four hours. She’s had to do many things she hasn’t had to do in a long time. She told me earlier that she’d been along long before all this ever started; she wouldn’t say any more than that. I’m sure she knew what she was doing son. Your right, all we really know about her is what she’s shown us. Maybe we should try harder with her. I remember back at the farm, after that little girl came out of the barn. You were a lot like her then, but Carol brought you back into the fold. Maybe you should show Carol how much you appreciate the effort she made for you and pay it forward. Bring that girl into the family. Show her the compassion that you were given. There is a reason she reacted the way she did when she found us here in her home and there is a reason why she is acting the way she is now. Most of us have tried to talk to her today and I know that you spent time with her too. Why don’t you take her some of the deer she helped you catch today? She might give you the answers you’re looking for if she feels she can trust you.”  
“Yeah, ya know I ain’t good at that shit; talking to people, strangers. What am I supposed to say to her? How am I gonna convince her to talk to me like that? Especially after everything we’ve already said to each other?”  
“Daryl, you’ll figure it out. Just say the things you’d like to hear. Imagine what it would take for you to open up to someone in this situation. You’ll do just fine. I have faith in you. Come on; let’s get her something to eat.”  
Daryl walked into the cabin with a plate of deer, canned veggies, and a bottle of water. He knocked on the bedroom door, but got no response He slowly opened the door to see Melissa laying on the bed asleep. He sat the plate and the bottle on the table next to her and turned to leave. When his hand touched to doorknob, he stopped and looked back to the sleeping woman. Herschel was right, she had reasons just as he did, still does. It would be nice to have someone to relate to, someone who could understand his anger, his fear. Maybe their reasons didn’t stem from the same cause, but anger is anger and fear is fear. He turned around and took a seat in the wood chair beside the door. He just looked at her and thought about what he had seen earlier, what he had really seen. Her body, her beautiful, sexy body. The way she touched herself, the way she was oblivious to his presence. He watched her like a peeping Tom and jacked off to her ignorance. He did feel guilty; maybe he should confess to her and ask her to forgive him. That would make her trust him, right? Hell, he didn’t know. All he knew, right this second, was that he wanted to see her again. He wanted to walk over to her in that bed and touch her. His mind had wondered so far away, that he didn’t see her eyes open. He didn’t see her looking at him.  
“Did you bring me food?” Melissa asked, shaking Daryl out of his daydream.  
“Uh, yeah. Thought you’d be hungry and since you helped catch it, you deserve to enjoy it.”  
“Thanks. I wasn’t really planning to eat, but I appreciate it.” Daryl just looked at her, trying to find something to say that wasn’t stupid.  
“Do you usually leave your weapons out of reach when you take a bath?” Daryl asked her.  
“Yes, actually, I do. I had something on my mind and was distracted. I’m usually very alert, very aware of my surroundings. You people have thrown me out of kilter. I don’t have anybody to watch my back. I told you this morning, I’ve survived because I know how to take care of myself. Today was an exception and I can’t explain it. I am grateful that you were there. You were right. I could’ve been dinner. I owe you my life. I’ve never been in debt to anyone before and I don’t like it, but I owe you. If you ask me to play nice with you, I’ll do it. I owe you an apology also. I didn’t mean to imply that you’re stupid or the things you say and do are stupid. I’ve never been able to talk to people right. Never know the right words to use. It’ been a long time since I’ve had people to talk to and I’m out of practice.”  
“You don’t owe me anything. We do what we do to keep ourselves and each other alive. I couldn’t let you die, even if you’ve been nothing but a pain in my ass. And you don’t owe me an apology for anything either. Plenty of people thought I’s stupid before. Ain’t none of them ever apologize for it, no need to hear it from you. Just eat your food and don’t worry ‘bout me. I’m going hunting again tomorrow, without Carl. If ya wanna come with me, I would’t mind.” He got up and walked to the door, turning back to face her before he walked out. “And you’re wrong, what you said about being nothing to look at. You’re wrong.” He closed the door behind him and went to get his own dinner.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daryl and Melissa go hunting. Daryl comes down with foot in mouth disease.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the kudos, hits and subscribers! Enjoy!

Chapter 7

Melissa spent that night in her room, in her bed. She didn’t sleep well though. She thought about what Herschel, Carol, Carl, and Lori had said to her. She thought about all the things Daryl had said to her. She was so confused by that redneck. She still wasn’t sure about him, which him was the real him. However, she couldn’t deny that if the man she saw by the brook and the man who brought her dinner was the real Daryl, she could accept him. Well, try to accept him. She had known these people for one day and her whole perspective was changing. She didn’t know how to handle that. She had been forced to be alone, and then she had chosen it. Being alone was all she had known for the last fifteen years. She still wasn’t comfortable with them being here, but part of her was glad that her self-imposed isolation was over, for now at least. She could very easily get used to the company, and possible companionship. She didn’t want to get hurt. She couldn’t let these people in and have them turn on her and leave her to die. She couldn’t let them make her weak, make her forget that she was the only one who really cares about her.  
Daryl spent that night on the front porch taking first watch. That woman confused the hell out of him. She was aggressive, yet he had been her vulnerable. He didn’t know what pissed him off more, her attitude, or her beauty. He lit his second cigarette. Maybe Herschel and Carol were right. She was good at hunting and tracking, she could be an asset. She could be his companion, in the woods. He might be willing to give her the benefit of the doubt, if it would benefit the group. The group, he thought. Who would have ever thought he’d be this concerned about people who weren’t his kin? Who’d have thought he’d find people who’d treat him better than his kin ever did? Daryl didn’t want to admit it, but they made him feel good about himself. He still missed Merle, sometimes, but he couldn’t think of ever leaving them. Regretfully, he depended on them too much now. He almost felt ashamed of it, but having people there people who’d have his back too, meant more to him than he could ever express. Maybe he could convince Melissa of that too.  
When Rick came out to relieve him from duty, he quickly entered the cabin. Everyone was scattered on the floor, except for Lori and Carl. They had taken the second bedroom. He walked to the door where Melissa was sleeping He was tempted to look in on her. He knew he didn’t need to. He knew she would probably be offended by it, so he just sank to the floor in front of her room. He didn’t really feel protective over her; he now realized that despite what happened earlier, she could take care of herself. He just felt that spot was where he needed to be. Usually, he would find a spot by Carol, but tonight he felt differently. What Carol had started all those months ago, after Sophia had walked out of that barn, was beginning to affect him. He was feeling things now, feeling more than anger and shame. He would do what he had to, what was required of him, even if it put him out of his comfort zone. This group had forced Melissa out of hers; the least he could do was join her there.  
The next morning, Melissa woke up before the sunrise. She grabbed her knives and her Beretta and opened the door. She nearly tripped over a sleeping Daryl. Actually, she kicked him in the arm. “Damn woman! Don’t you know a better way to wake someone up?” he asked.  
“Oh my God!” she exclaimed. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t know you were sleeping there. Why were you sleeping there?”  
“Only place left. This ain’t no castle ya know,” he replied half-annoyed.  
“Do you still want me to go hunting with you? I mean, is that still okay?”  
“Yeah, wouldn’t have asked it wasn’t. Let me grab my pack and we can head out.” Five minutes later, they were headed into the woods, the sun just starting to rise. Melissa knew better than to start a conversation, but she really wanted an explanation for what he said to her last night, right before he left her room. Maybe she’s better off not knowing. He was walking a few paces ahead of her and they hadn’t found any tracks worth following, so they were settled with a few rabbits and squirrels. On their way back to the cabin, Daryl spoke. “You said you been alone for a long time. How long is long?”  
“Depends on your definition of alone,” she replied. “My parents were killed when I was thirteen. Drunk driver ran a red light and plowed right into them. Dad died instantly, mom went three days later. I became a ward of the state. Was only ever in one foster home, that didn’t last long. They said I was too weird. They had two kids of their own and said I was creeping ‘em out. It was just ‘cause I didn’t talk. I didn’t speak for three years after my parents died.”  
“How come,” he asked her. “Psychological or some shit?”  
“That’s what they thought, so I let them believe it. I just realized that there was no point in letting something in if it would eventually go away. Why invite people in if they’re just gonna leave anyway?”  
“Mmm,” was Daryl’s only reply. He had felt the same way most of his life. “So why’d you start talking again?”  
“They were gonna send me to another foster home; I didn’t want to go. I was able to convince them, somehow, to not make me go. I was almost seventeen. In a year, I’d be on my own anyway. So, I spent that last year on the streets practically. I’d go back to the state home a couple times a week just so they wouldn’t send cops after me.”  
“So did ya drop out of school or something? You sleep on the streets?”  
“Didn’t drop out. I graduated on time. Wasn’t about to put myself in a position where I couldn’t take care of myself. I knew no one else wanted to. Did a pretty good job of it that last year. Got a job bagging groceries at the Kroger in town. Not much, but it kept me fed and when I turned eighteen, I had enough saved to get a shitty one-bedroom apartment. I had that job and that apartment until the shit hit the fan. And yes, I slept on the street when I had to.”  
“Mmm,” was Daryl’s reply, again. “ I’s in a foster home, couple of times. Merle, my brother, was in jail or in the army stationed overseas. Those didn’t last long either. I’s always sent back.”  
“Sent back where?”  
“My old man. He’d stay sober long enough to convince some social worker he’d changed, but as soon as I got home, he’d get drunk and leave for days, or . . .” Daryl trailed off.  
“I guess Herschel was right,” Melissa said, stopping in her tracks. Daryl took a couple more steps until he stopped too.  
“Right about what?”  
“He told me that you and I are alike. That we have a lot in common.”  
“That old man don’t know shit about me. Thinks ‘cause he’s old he knows everything.” Daryl was thoroughly annoyed. He liked Herschel, he really did. Wished he’d been his dad, but he knew what he’s trying to do and Daryl didn’t want any part of that horseshit.  
“Well, he don’t know me either, but there’s something he knows or sees. Them old people got special gifts. My great-grandma was a spell caster. She died not long before my parents and she taught me some stuff.” She said and started walking again.   
“You a witch?”  
“No, I never tried those spells. Never had a need to. They were mostly for financial success and love. Thought I’d never have either so why bother?”  
They were getting closer to the cabin and remained silent the rest of the way. Daryl had to admit, it hadn’t been a bad hunt. She held her own and didn’t whine and complain about anything. He suspected she wouldn’t. When they reached the tree line, he took her kills from her and handed them off to Maggie and Beth, who were sitting by the fire. He saw Rick motion for him, letting him know they needed to talk. He was halfway there when Rick pointed behind him to Melissa and mouthed, “her too.” He walked back and poked her on the shoulder. “Rick wants to talk to us,” and craned his neck in Rick’s direction. She agreed and followed Daryl around to the side of the cabin.  
“How’d it go out there?” Rick asked them.  
“Fine,” Daryl said. “Nothing big out there, but we got enough for today if Lori don’t go overboard.” Daryl said and Rick chuckled. “She’ll take what she can get. There’s still some deer left from last night if she needs more.” He looked at Melissa and said, “I don’t think I’ve thanked you yet for your hospitality. It means the world to my family, and I think Carl has a crush on you.”  
Melissa laughed out loud, “He has a what! There’s no accounting for taste, huh. He was just excited to go hunting yesterday, that’s all.” Rick and Daryl just looked at each other and gave a collective sigh.  
“Anyway, I wanted to talk to ya’ll about a run. Are there any towns close by that we could check out?”  
Melissa thought about it for a second. “Yeah, there’s a little place about twenty miles or so east of here. I don’t know what it’s called, but if you got a map, I could show ya where it is. I think there’s a drug store/pharmacy, a small grocery store and library, I think.”  
“Good. Daryl, if you could help me organize it, we’ll head out tomorrow. I’ll grab the map and meet you by the cars.” Rick patted his shoulder as he walked passed him.  
“You gonna go to the brook?” Daryl asked her when he was sure Rick was gone.   
“I was thinking about it.”  
“Want me to go with you? To watch for walkers, I mean. So you won’t have to worry about it.”  
“Thank you, but that’s not necessary. I’ll be just fine.”  
“Ok. Imma talk to Rick. I’ll probably be down there later myself. Just keep your eyes open. Don’t wanna hafta keep savin’ your ass.” He smirked.  
“Yeah, don’t want to be a burden to you,” she said, as she turned and walked away, half hurt, half annoyed.  
Daryl felt like a giant ass. Stupid mouth; couldn’t go a whole day without pissin’ that girl off. She’d actually been nice to him, told him a lot of things she probably hadn’t ever told anyone and he just took ten fucking leaps backward and shit all over everything. He’d go talk to Rick, then spend the rest of the day trying to figure out how to make it up to her.  
Rick was leaning against Maggie’s SUV when Daryl rounded the corner. “What’s wrong with her? What happened? She looked pissed.” Rick asked a shameful looking Daryl.  
“My fault. Opened my damn mouth before my brain kicked in. Just can’t talk to people Rick. I been trying, I really have. Herschel thinks that I can get through to her. Help her out with whatever she’s got in her head, but I don’t know how. She’d been trying too and doing a better job than me. I can’t do nothing but fuck shit up.”  
“You talk to me just fine, and Carol and Carl and all of us. You’re getting better at this Daryl. Ya’ll are just too much alike is all. Now you know what it was like dealing with you at the quarry.”  
“Shit! I wasn’t that bad, was I? Hell, I aint’ never gonna make this work.” Daryl said, aggravated.  
“You’ll figure it out, just give it time. Listen, about this run, I’m thinking Glenn, Maggie, you and me. If Melissa gives us the directions, we should be in and out within the day.”  
“Whose gonna stay here, in case something happens? We need someone here who knows what to do in case a herd comes through.”  
“Your right. I’ll stay. Who would you feel comfortable with?”  
Daryl thought about it and could come up with only one logical answer. “Melissa,” he said. “If she’s gonna draw the map, she obviously know her way around. She’s tough, she’s strong, and she’s quiet. She’d be an asset.”   
“Alright, if you feel comfortable with it and she’s willing, she goes too. Do you want me to tell her?”  
“No,” Daryl said, with a sick feeling in his stomach. “I’ll tell her. I got to find a way to fix my shit anyway.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little introspection

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's another chapter. I hope to post again today or tomorrow. I hope you like it! Thanks for all the kudos and hits!

Chapter 8

The longer he waited for her to get back, the more anxious he got. He decided to go down to the brook, he needed to wash up, and it had been long enough to where she was probably on her way back anyway. He grabbed a set of clothes that Carol had given him yesterday and headed out. He still didn’t know what he was going to say to her, but whatever it ended up being, it was just gonna get him in more shit anyway so it probably didn’t matter. It was a good thing that Daryl had such a good memory and sense of direction, because his thoughts had turned to what had happened yesterday, and not the walker part. He hadn’t passed her yet and the thought that she might still be down there, naked, was occurring to him. As he got closer, though, he tried to clear his mind, be more focused. If there had been one walker yesterday, there could be another or more today. When he got close enough to hear the rippling water of the brook, he heard something else too. It didn’t sound like any walker he’d ever heard. It sounded like singing.  
When she got to the brook, she was beyond pissed, but she didn’t know who she was more pissed at, Daryl or herself. She had told him more this morning than she had ever told those state psychologists. She felt so stupid for that. He was being nice to her and she had, incorrectly, assumed it was because he was a nice guy. He had revealed as much to her and now she was thinking that it had all been lies. He’s just trying to ease the difficulty of being with new people. He was doing it for them, those damn people who had taken her solitude. She quickly undressed and stepped into the water. She stayed more alert this time; she didn’t want Daryl to waste his time or energy saving her worthless ass. This is what happens; this is why she should’ve never let her guard down. Goddamn that stupid hick, she thought. When she felt she was clean enough, she stepped out and took her clothes from the rock where she had left them. After she was dressed, she grabbed her knife and put it in her lap. She didn’t want to go back to the cabin now, so she just sat on the rock and kept dwelling on what had happened. He smirked when he said it. Maybe he was just joking. If that was a joke, he sucks at it. She continued to sit there, stewing over it for God knows how long when a random thought struck her. She remembered a song her mom had sung to her when she was a little girl. A song she had not heard or thought of since she died and Melissa began to hum. Eventually, the words poured from her mouth.  
He stood still and quiet, listening to the words and the voice. He hadn’t heard that song since he was a little boy. His momma would sing it to him on nights his father had left in a drunken stupor after having beat the shit out of one or both of them. He fought those memories with everything he had. He’d heard about some people being able to block out bad memories, but he never could. The song mainly made him think of his mamma. The most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. He could still remember her long, black hair shining in the moonlight through his window on those nights. He was entranced by the voice that was as beautiful as his momma’s was. He took a few steps and through the clearing, he saw her sitting on the rock. He was too captivated by the scene in front of him to be relieved that she was fully dressed. When the song stopped, he stepped forward. “You got a real pretty voice,” he said shyly.  
“Holy shit! You scared the hell outta me!” she exclaimed, jumping of the rock and dropping the knife that was on her lap. “Good Lord, God himself wouldn’t know you were coming!”  
“Sorry. I didn’t want to interrupt you. It sounded nice,” he said and looked directly into her eyes.  
She cleared her throat, “Thanks,” and quickly picked up her knife. She had to get out of there, now. As she walked passed Daryl, his arm shot out and he grabbed her by the wrist stopping her. “I’m sorry for what I said. I know it sounded bad, but I didn’t mean it the way you took it. I’m not good with people either. I’m sorry.”  
He had this hangdog look on his face. Maybe he’s a good liar, but he’s a shit actor. She could see genuine remorse in those beautiful blue eyes. “You don’t have to apologize. I’m not gonna kick ya’ll out just ‘cause you put your foot in your mouth. Ya’ll can still stay.”  
“I ain’t apologizing for them. I had a good time hunting with you this morning and I didn’t want to ruin it. Didn’t mean to piss you off. I’m sorry.”  
“You can stop saying that. I understand that you regret what you said, but you don’t have to. I’m the one who took it wrong. It’s half my fault, okay?”  
“Okay.” He accepted that. He didn’t want to start an argument. “I want to talk to ya about that run tomorrow. Stay here, we can talk while I wash.”  
“You sure about that?” she said surprised.  
“Yeah. You can watch my back. Maybe you’ll have to save my life this time.” He smiled and let go of her, walking to the brook.  
“Sure,” she said a little apprehensive. “I’ll just face the trees and give ya some privacy.” She sat back down on the rock with her back toward the water. She could hear him moving behind her, could hear his zipper as he took off his pants.  
“I’s thinking that since you know your way around, you could go with us on the run.”   
“Why do you want me to go?”  
“Just told ya dumbass. Anyway, Rick ain’t’ going. He’s gonna stay back and keep watch, protect the group.” She could hear him in the water now. “It’s gonna be Glenn, Maggie, me and you. That’s if you’re willing to go.”  
“Okay. I’ll go. At least it’ll keep ya’ll from getting lost.” She heard him laugh.  
“You’re probably right. Nobody know this place better than you do, huh? Maybe you’ll end up saving all our asses tomorrow,” he said and stepped out of the brook. His eyes had never left her form sitting on that rock. He never turned his back to her, not knowing if he could trust her not to sneak a peek. By the time he had finished though, his doubts about her were gone. She had dutifully sat on that rock, watching the tree line with her knife by her side at the ready. She hadn’t as much as turned her head in his direction, for which he was grateful. He didn’t imagine she’d be interested in looking anyway. “You can turn around now,” he said once he was fully dressed.  
Her mind flipped when she saw him. His hair was dripping wet and his clothes stuck to his still wet body. Her mouth suddenly went dryer than a desert. “Maybe I will save ya’ll lives. It seems that I owe ya one.”  
“I already told ya once, ya don’t owe me shit. Don’t want nothing from ya if it’s just ‘cause ya think its owed. I’d rather die if it only means that much to ya.”  
No! That’s not what I meant!” she said desperately trying to fix her fuck up. “I just meant that what you did, saving my life, meant everything to me. I want to do something that means a lot to you. I’m still trying Daryl, I really am. I wanna trust you, all of you, and I want you to trust me. I don’t know how to do either of those things.”  
“I do trust you Melissa,” he said and took a step closer to her. “I’m trying too and already fucked up once today. I asked ya to go with us tomorrow ‘cause we all trust ya. I just don’t want ya to think we’re the enemy, that I’m the enemy, ‘cause I’m not. I say stupid shit. You say stupid shit. Took me a long time to be able to talk to those people. They didn’t like me much when we first met. I’s with my brother then. He was an asshole; didn’t care if anybody liked him or not. He’d do shit on purpose to make people uncomfortable. He was an addict too, high most of the time. That’s why they left him behind. They all thought I’s just like him, but I’m not, I don’t wanna be. He’s too much like our old man. They say I’ve changed since Merle’s been gone, and I guess I have. They ain’t kicked me out yet. That’s a good sign, right?”  
“This is real hard for me,” she said. “I just don’t want to get hurt. I don’t want to put my trust in you and get hurt. I miss people. I don’t want to be alone no more, but being alone is what I’m good at.”  
“That’s why you need to come with us tomorrow. You can see how we operate. Get to know more about us. They’re good people. None of us are gonna hurt you. When it’s time for us to move on, you can come with us. I could use someone like you to help with hunting. Two can bring back more than one. Just think about it.” He picked up his crossbow and walked off.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A typical supply run.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the kudos. They make my heart flutter. Hope you enjoy this one, I did.

Chapter 9

The next morning, everyone was up bright and early to help get ready for the run. Carol and Lori were making food packs and Glenn, Rick, and Daryl were loading up the SUV with weapons. Melissa watched it all. She noticed how they didn’t speak, just knew what to do. They could’ve been doing it blind folded. They were a well-oiled machine. Maggie walked up to her with a box in her arms. “I think there’s enough food in here to keep us if we have to stay out overnight. Hope we don’t though.”  
“So, is there a list or do we just grab what we find?” Melissa asked her.  
“We do have a list. Actually, we have two. One has all the necessities, the other is the ‘ladies list’. That’s why we always try to have at least one woman on each run. We can’t always though, but the men are getting better at knowing what we need and what we like. After we get all that stuff, if there’s time, we’ll grab extras, luxuries if there are any. Once we get there, we’ll break up into groups, me and Glenn and you and Daryl. We’ll split the lists between us. Could you put this box in the back? I’m gonna see if I can find some extra bags in case it’s a good haul.”  
Melissa took the box of foodstuff and walked to the SUV where Daryl, Glenn, and Rick were talking. “Maggie thinks there’s enough shit in here to keep us all for the night if need be,” she said as Daryl took the box from her, brushing his hands against hers as they made the transfer.  
“Hopefully we won’t have to stay out, but it’s always good to be prepared. It’s happened more times than I like,” Daryl said putting the box between a couple of rifles and his crossbow. “Saddle up folks. We need to head out.” Maggie drove with Melissa in navigator position, while the boys sat in the back. It took a little less than an hour to reach their destination. They hatched a plan before exiting the vehicle. Glenn tore each list in half and each person took a section. Daryl and Melissa would go to the pharmacy while Glenn and Maggie would try the small grocery next to it. When they were done, if they had time, they would drive out a little farther to check on a small housing development that Melissa had told them about. As the couples went their separate ways, Daryl led Melissa to the drug store’s front door. “I’m gonna tap the window. If there are any in there, it’ll draw them out. We put ‘em down and go shopping.” A couple minutes after he placed the edge of his crossbow against it, three walkers appeared in front of them on the other side of the glass. Before he could blink, Melissa was up and unsheathing her knives. Daryl scrambled to catch up with her as she busted through the door. She had a knife in each hand and stabbed two at once, while Daryl took the last one out with a bolt to the brain.  
“Holy shit girl! That was some damn fine work. Never seen anybody do that before.”  
Embarrassed, she hung her head shyly. “Thanks. We should probably get the stuff.” She took her half of the ‘ladies list’ and went in search of feminine products. Daryl went straight to the pharmacy. He threw every bottle he found in his bag, pain meds, antacids, and cold medicine. There wasn’t much behind the counter except stuff for bad hearts and diabetics. Meanwhile, Melissa was putting boxes of pads and tampons in her bag. She found razors, shaving cream, body wash, body lotion, shampoo, and conditioner. There was only one thing left on her list and it was something she knew nothing about. She stared at the boxes on the shelf. There were only a few left, but they were all different. “Why the hell are these on the list?” she mumbled to herself.  
“Glenn and Maggie.” Melissa about jumped out of her skin.  
“Goddamn it! Why do you always do that shit! Do you want me to have a damn heat attack?”  
“Uh, no, just answering your question. They’re for Glenn and Maggie. They’s the only one’s fuckin’ around here,” he said, his ears flaming red.  
“Well, what kind to I get? I don’t know nothing about these things. Do they come in sizes? Shouldn’t they be doing this themselves?” He stepped up, standing next to her and looked at the boxes. He grabbed all of them and shoved half of them in her bag and the other half in his. “Don’t have to worry about it now,” he said and walked toward the door. Before she could turn around to follow him, they heard gun shots coming from outside. They ducked down behind a display and Daryl brought out the bow, cocked and ready. Melissa put her pack on her back and drew her knives. They crawled to the door and looked outside. When they heard Maggie scream, they launched themselves out the door. Walkers surrounded Glenn and Maggie. The more they killed, the more came after them. Daryl and Melissa quickly went into action, stabbing and shooting as many as they could. This herd was nowhere near the size that took the farm, but it was much more than the four of them could handle. “Get to the SUV, NOW!” Daryl yelled and they all started running, shooting and stabbing as they went. Once they all were inside the vehicle, Maggie floored it, heading towards the direction the walkers had come from; which also happened to be the direction of the housing development.  
They drove for thirty minutes before they reached the development. They had lost the last of the herd fifteen minutes ago. The houses had been brand new when the world went to shit. Some of them were not completed, though they saw a few abandoned cars; maybe they could find one that was furnished. There was no way they were making it back to the cabin tonight. By tomorrow, the herd would be out of their way. They drove down two streets before they found one that looked acceptable. Daryl and Glenn cleared the lower level while Maggie and Melissa took the top. Maggie found the only walker; a young man, college age looked like. He had been locked in the bathroom of the master suite. Melissa helped her fling the body out the window. The body exploded on impact and when Daryl and Glenn heard the thud of the body, they ran outside. They looked down at the putrefied remains of the walker and then looked up at the window. The girls were standing there smiling and waving like goofballs.  
“What the hell did ya’ll do?” Daryl yelled up at them.  
“We saved you boys the trouble of dragging his stinky, decayed corps downstairs.” Maggie answered. “You’re welcome.” Daryl and Glenn just grinned and looked down at the bits of walker strewn about the yard.  
“At least the smell should keep them away from us tonight,” said Glenn and went back inside with Daryl. After about an hour, Maggie and Melissa has filled two large duffle bags with toiletries and clothes, while the boys had done the same downstairs with non-perishable food and a few weapons. They all met in the living room, where Daryl started a fire in the fireplace. Glenn passed around various cans of food and they ate in relative silence around the fire. Glenn and Maggie cuddled together, feeding each other like fucking lovebirds while Melissa and Daryl sat with enough space between them to fit another person. Daryl was feeling very uncomfortable with the situation and could tell Melissa felt the same. She kept looking down at her lap, trying to scrape food from an empty can. He stared at her until she looked back at him. He shook his empty can at her and stood up holding his hand out. She took his hand and they walked into the kitchen together. The cans went into the trash and neither of them moved to go back to the living room. “Are they always like that?”  
Daryl half smirked, “Yeah, whenever they get the chance, they’re all over each other. They don’t usually do anything in front of other people, but I guess they forgot we was here.”  
“Must be nice to feel that,” Melissa said looking way from Daryl. “Being so involved and connected to another person that you forget the world exists. I wish I could forget the world exists.” Daryl just looked at her and didn’t speak. He wanted to say that he felt the same way, that he wanted the same thing, but he didn’t.  
“I’m gonna take a walk around the perimeter, ya wanna go? Nobody should be forced to watch that shit in there.”  
“Just let me grab my knife and we can go.”  
“I’ll get it. You stay here.”  
Glenn and Maggie didn’t even hear them leave. As soon as they were far enough from the house, Daryl spoke. “Ya doing alright? I mean, we’re not making ya uncomfortable or nothing are we?”  
“Not really. Uncomfortable isn’t what I’d call it, more like nervous.”  
Daryl stopped walking. “What ya mean, nervous?  
“I just mean that I didn’t know what to expect with ya’ll. I never expected that display in there, and I still don’t know what’s gonna happen. I’m glad I came with ya though. I guess I’m starting to get used to ya. Ya’ll ain’t so bad.”  
“I’m gonna do whatever I have to do to keep everybody safe. I believe you can take care of yaself though. After seeing ya go all Rambo in the pharmacy, I may get ya to be my bodyguard.”  
She smiled. “I’d consider it. I don’t come cheap though.”  
“Never imagined you would,” Daryl said and shyly looked at the ground. “Come on, best finish up and get back inside. Gonna let the lovebirds take first watch and we can get some sleep before it’s our turn.”  
“Remind me to leave out one of those boxes of condoms, just in case they’re not tired when it’s our turn.”  
Daryl laughed. “Don’t worry, I won’t. Times like this, I wish I still had my old headphones to drown out that God awful noise.”  
Maggie and Glenn were in the kitchen when they returned. Daryl asked Glenn if they could talk and they went into the living room. “What were ya’ll doing?” Maggie said and wiggled her eyebrows.  
“Checking the perimeter. Everything looked good.” Melissa replied, oblivious to Maggie’s meaning.  
“I’m glad that you and Daryl are getting along now. He’s not so bad if you can get to know him. He’s a different man. The one I first met would just as soon shoot an arrow in your ass as look at you. He talks to you. I know he does. The only other people I’ve seen him talk to like that are Rick and Carol, but he’s known them longer than us. You’re new and he already seems comfortable with you.”  
“I don’t think he’s comfortable, but he’s trying, and so am I. I’m starting to like ya’ll, I guess that includes him too.” Just then, Glenn and Daryl walked into the kitchen. “You guys are not gonna believe what we just figured out,” Glenn said excitedly.  
“We’re not guessing. Just spill it Glenn.” Maggie said impatiently.  
“The couch pulls out! We don’t have to sleep on the floor tonight and we don’t have to worry about getting stuck upstairs if something happens. We can take sheets from one of the upstairs bedrooms to put on it, and pillows and blankets!” They thought he was gonna explode.  
“It’s okay sweetheart,” Maggie said sarcastically. “It’s gonna be tough on all of us, but we’ll survive. We just have to be strong.” Daryl and Melissa giggled under their breath as Maggie put her arms around Glenn supportively.   
“Fuck all of you!” he said. “Maggie, you and I are gonna take first watch.” He grabbed his rifle and machete and stalked off toward the door.   
“Aww, poor baby. I’m gonna go see if I can cheer him up.” Maggie was out the door faster than a NASCAR driver.  
After Melissa and Daryl made the pull out couch into a bed, they extinguished their lantern and lay on their backs next to each other. “I think I’ve missed out on a lot. Ya’ll really are a family, ain’t ya?”  
“I guess, as much as we can be. We look out for each other, protect each other. It’s not a bad situation. I can understand you not being so sure ‘bout things, being able to trust ‘em. I didn’t, for a long time, but Rick and Carol wouldn’t let me go. I was gonna leave the group, but they kept bringing me back in. Rick gave me responsibility; no one’s ever trusted me like he does. Guess he earned my trust and my respect too.”  
“It may not be so bad being a part of your family.” She started to shiver and Daryl pulled the blanket over her shoulders.”  
“We’ll take care of you, I promise. Won’t ever let anything bad happen to ya. Better get some sleep. The lovebirds will be back in four hours, and then it’s our turn. Gonna need to be alert.” They turned their backs to each other and fell asleep. When Maggie and Glenn came in to get them four hours later, they couldn’t contain their smiles when they found Daryl and Melissa on the fold out with their arms around each other.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daryl and Melissa are awkward turtles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the kudos/hits. They rock my world! Hope you like this one. I think you will. Let me know what you think.

Chapter 10

Melissa sat on the front porch of the house, while Daryl walked around. He walked the perimeter a couple of times and circled the house a few more. When Glenn and Maggie woke them this morning, they had both been horrified and embarrassed to find their arms wrapped around each other and Melissa’s head on Daryl’s chest. They jumped out of bed quickly, put on their boots, and grabbed their weapons. Neither of them acknowledged Glenn, Maggie or each other. As soon as they stepped outside into the early morning darkness, Daryl spoke. “You sit here. I’ll walk.” And here she was, still sitting and he was still walking. She was also thinking. She was thinking about how embarrassed she was, and still is. She was thinking about how much Daryl hates her right now. He hates her because she disgusts him. He’s disgusted by the thought of her touching him; why else would he have moved away from her so fast that he almost fell out of the bed. She’s afraid that she’s gonna get called out for being the stupid, fat, ugly chick who thinks she’s good enough for Daryl Dixon to want her in the same way.  
He has never fucked up this bad in his life, not even when he was a kid. Even after a few months of bunking close to Carol, he never woke up with his arms around her. She’s gotta be humiliated thinking that he planned this. After all his work, she’s never gonna trust him, or the group again. He could tell that she didn’t like having people near her physically, much less having their hands and bodies on her. He wasn’t a touchy feely person himself and understood how that felt. He didn’t mean for it to happen and he didn’t want it to happen. He didn’t want her to hate him for something that was out of his control. She deserved better than having some ugly, beat up, dirty redneck’s hands on her. Then he thought back to earlier. It seemed to him that he had known of their proximity to each other before they were woken up. Her smell in his nose, her hair on his arm. Something had made him aware of her, but he hadn’t done a thing to change it. Maybe he thought it was a dream. Maybe he liked that dream.  
He finally made it back to the front porch where Melissa had stayed, per his demand. He stood in front of her, but she wouldn’t look at him, so he sat next to her on the steps. He took an almost empty pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and offered one to her. She delicately took the smoke from between his fingers and took a long drag. He pulled out the last one and lit it for himself. “I didn’t know you smoked,” was the first thing he said to her.  
“I haven’t since I was on the streets. But this seems like a good time to have one. I’m so sorry Daryl. I didn’t mean for that to happen. I don’t want you to be embarrassed by that. I’ll make up for it, I promise. Just don’t leave me here.”  
Daryl took a drag off his smoke and exhaled loudly. “Number one, you don’t have to apologize for nothing. It was mostly my fault if anyone’s. Number two, there’s nothing for you to make up for and number three, we ain’t leaving ya nowhere. I ain’t leaving ya nowhere. I’m just getting used to ya. I want ya to stick around for a while. If anyone needs to apologize, it’s me. I’m sorry. I think I was having a dream, but I ain’t sure. I can’t remember much about it. ‘Sides,” he breathed out heavily, “you should be waking up with someone better than me.”  
“Okay, I won’t accept all of that, but I’m not gonna start a fight. I’m tired of fighting. I don’t know what part of what you just said is true and what part is bullshit, but I’m gonna ignore it for now. Let’s just forget it happened, okay? Besides, I don’t think Maggie would’ve appreciated it being Glenn instead of you.”  
“Your right, except the bullshit part. I don’t lie and I don’t bullshit. I tell you something, it’s the truth. You ask me a question and you’re gonna get a true answer. If I volunteer information, it’s no lie. You’d be smart to remember that.”  
“Alright, just remember that I don’t lie either. You can trust me. Everything I say comes from my heart, but I’ve trained myself not to speak much truth. I guess that’s why I don’t talk much. Some people don’t like to hear the truth and I don’t want to make anyone feel uncomfortable.”  
“Mmmm, I feel the same. Took me a long time and a lot of pain to realize that the truth hurts less than a lie, if you can handle it. I don’t like being lied to. I don’t tolerate that,” he paused and considered something for a minute. “If I ask you a question, you’ll be honest with me, won’t you?”  
“Of course. As long as I know the answer, then I’ll tell you. You have to answer a question for me in return.”  
“Deal. Okay, when I came up on ya the other day by the brook and you was singing that song, where’d ya learn it? Why were ya singing that song?”  
“My momma used to sing it to me when I was a little girl. She was always a big Beatles fan and she told me that this song had gotten her through a lot of tough times. She wanted me to know that there was always hope, that she always had hope that things would be better for me than they had been for her and that I would always have someone there for me when I needed them. That song is the strongest memory I have of her.”  
“Mmmm,” was Daryl’s only reply. She waited patiently for any more from him and when he offered nothing, she spoke. “Can I ask you my question now?”  
“Sure, go ahead.”  
“That night, after you saved me from the walker, before you left my room, you said something. What did you mean by that?”  
Daryl froze. He had forgotten all about that. He had hoped she wouldn’t bring it up, maybe she hadn’t heard it. He would be honest with her, but he hoped she would forgive him for his actions and his initial lie. “Which thing I said? I said a few things and don’t remember half of it ‘cause I’s so nervous.”  
“You told me I was wrong about myself. That thing I said at the brook, you said I was wrong. Why would you think that? How would you know that?”  
Daryl cleared his throat and wished he had the other pack of smokes in his bag. “I lied to you. When I said I hadn’t been watching you at the brook. When I told you I was watching out for walkers. I lied. I had been watching ya. I saw ya washing up. I’s scared you’d think I’s some pervert who gets off on watching naked women.” Shit, he thought, he had though. “ I’m not and I don’t. I ain’t like that.” Except in that situation, with you. “I’s scared ya wouldn’t like me if you’d known what I done. You sounded so convinced that I wouldn’t do that, but not because I was a nice guy. Because I thought you was ugly or something. If that’s what you think, then you are wrong. You’re not ugly. Ya got real pretty eyes and pretty hair, and your body? I’ve never seen a woman that looked like you before. That’s a good thing. You got a real . . .nice body. So, you are wrong. You’re plenty good enough to look at.” He stood up and grabbed his bow, “I’m gonna go in and get my other pack of smokes and take a piss. I’ll be back in a minute.”  
As she heard the front door open and close, Melissa felt her eyes get wet. He never lied, except that one time. She had been watching him as he spoke, until she couldn’t anymore. She didn’t know what to say, or what to think. She was glad that he left. She didn’t know how to respond. He probably didn’t want her to respond anyway. God, what it must have taken for him to say those words. She wondered if it might have caused physical pain. He’d said that he wasn’t good with words, but that’s where he was wrong. He had just given her the most beautiful, most amazing words she had ever heard. In twenty-eight years, he was the only man to ever see her and after tonight, the first to put his hands on her body. Technically, he hadn’t been touching her body, not her skin; but when she opened her eyes and saw him looking back at her, eyes wide and frightened, she felt the pressure of his big hands when they tightened around her.  
She heard him come out the door and he walked past her and down the steps toward the edge of the yard. She could see the smoke from his cigarette floating in the air and could hear him pissing onto the street. He came back and sat next to her on the steps. He offered her another cigarette and his zippo. “Daryl, I don’t know what to say. I know what I want to say, but I’m not sure how to say it. I’ve never heard those words before. There’s always the possibility that you don’t want to hear what I have to say.” She was gonna give him a minute to decide what he wanted. He took her hand in his and linked their fingers together.   
“Say what ya gotta.”  
“I’m not mad at you for lying about that. I probably would’ve freaked out if you’d a told me then. That wouldn’t have ended well for any of us. I appreciate the fact that you were honest with me, no matter how embarrassed I feel about it. I still don’t believe everything you said, but it’s not because I don’t think you’re lying. It’s because those things simply aren’t true. I don’t believe them. You are a good man Daryl, so good in fact, that you would say those things to someone you don’t know, just to make them feel good; to give your family a chance to be safe. You can be a real asshole Dixon, but then again, so can I. I think I’m really starting to like you, all of you. I don’t think I want to be alone anymore. I want a family again.”  
Daryl let go of her hand, “You’ve got one now. We ain’t gonna leave ya and I’m not letting ya leave us. I’m gonna keep my eyes on you,” he said and looked directly into her eyes. “We can watch out for each other, protect each other.” He looked around and noticed that the darkness was disappearing. “It’s almost dawn. Let’s take one more walk around the perimeter, and then we can wake the lovebirds up.” They walked side by side around the outer rim of the small neighborhood, Michelle glancing over at Daryl often enough for him to notice. “Do you have something else to say?” he asked and stopped in his tracks.  
“I don’t know. It’s one of those truths that I’m not sure I should speak. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”  
“Too late for that,” he muttered under his breath.  
“I liked waking up with you. I’ve never shared a bed with anyone before, not friends or family or . . . boyfriends. I really didn’t ever have any of those. I just don’t want you to be scared of me or feel awkward around me. I just don’t want to mess anything up or make you mad. It was nice though.”  
Daryl didn’t have a clue as to what to say. She thought that waking up in the same bed with him and having his arms around her was nice. She liked it. Well, he guessed that he liked it too. She had soft skin and hair. He already told her he thinks she had pretty eyes. Hell yeah, it had been awkward as fuck. He’d never woken up with someone in his bed, unless you count Merle when they was kids, which he didn’t. The women he’d had were always gone before he’s able to get his drawers back on. If Maggie and Glenn hadn’t found them, he would have been willing to stay there with her. He would have been willing to lay with her, run his hands up and down her body, and maybe, just maybe, kiss her. Really, the only thing that made it awkward was the fact that Maggie and Glenn had caught them, that they had seen them. That was embarrassing, not the being in bed with her part. He wondered if he would ever get the chance to be in bed with her again. “Yeah . . . it was nice. I, uh, never woke up with anybody either.” Daryl then realized just how alone they were. No Maggie, no Glenn. He took two steps toward her, which put him mere inches from her face. His hand moved to cup her cheek and without conscious thought, he leaned in and gently touched his lips to hers.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath, or Daryl and Melissa avoid their feelings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the kudos, comments and reads! I love you all! Here's another one. Hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think.

Chapter 11

They left the house around what Daryl said was mid-morning, maybe nine o’clock. Maggie drove, but Glenn had shotgun this time, so that left Daryl and Melissa in the backseat together. Neither had mentioned the kiss; her first and the only one he ever wanted to remember. They really didn’t say anything to each other, making Glenn and Maggie a little suspicious but they didn’t bring it up either. The ride was quiet and they only saw a couple of stray walkers on the way. They would steal glances at each other while the other wasn’t looking. Sometimes they would just stare out their respective windows. Neither one knew what was supposed to happen now; neither wanted to go backward, but they didn’t know how to move forward either. So, they just sat in silence, stewing on their newfound revelation, whatever that was.

When they arrived at the cabin, everyone came out to greet them and see if they were okay. Glenn and Maggie relayed the story of the herd and their stay at the house. Daryl and Melissa quietly unloaded the supplies and went about their business. When everything had been moved inside, Carol, Lori, and Beth sorted all the new things into piles and put them away where they belonged. Melissa had gone outside and was standing at the tree line behind the cabin. She could see Rick and Daryl standing by the vehicles talking. Daryl looked at her, watched her as Rick kept talking to him. Every now and then, he would agree with something Rick said, but had stopped listening to him the second he saw her walk outside. Rick waved his hands in front of Daryl’s face. “Are you okay? Daryl? Are you listening to me?”

“What? Yeah, I’m listening. I’m gonna go hunting. Wanna come with me?”

“Ya’ll just brought in enough food to last a few weeks. You should stay here and rest, maybe sleep for a while.”

Daryl shook his head. He just needed to think. He really didn’t want to talk about what had happened with Melissa, but he thought that Rick could help him, maybe give him some advice. “Naw, I’m fine. That baby’s gonna need some protein, and your wife needs to eat. I’m surprised she don’t fall forward from the weight of the baby. Let’s go kill us a deer.”

“Alright, if you’re gonna be okay. I’ll go get my gun and knife and tell Lori and Carl we’re going out for a few hours. You gonna tell Melissa we’re going?”

“Why would I do that? She’ll know what we’re doing. Don’t see why it matters anyway. Hurry up, let’s get outta here.”

When Rick walked away, Melissa stood at the tree line and looked back at Daryl. She saw nothing in his expression. She wanted to say something to him, but couldn’t think of anything that wouldn’t just be a poor excuse to hear his voice. Soon, Rick came back outside and he and Daryl walked into the woods together. She was sad to see him leaving, but knew what he was doing. He was confused and needed to think about things. She had stuff to think about too. She thought about the kiss, his touch, his voice. She was so lost in thought she didn’t hear Lori and Carol calling her name. “Melissa, honey, are you okay? Got something on your mind?” Carol asked sweetly.

“A lot actually, but I wouldn’t know where to start.” She replied and took a seat on the ground as the women were organizing laundry. None of them said a word at first, the older women waiting to see if the younger would trust them with her worries. “How long has your group been together?”

“Since this whole thing started,” Lori began. “Carl and I was with Shane, Rick’s partner, when everything went to hell. He got us out of town and on the highway to Atlanta. That’s where we met Carol and her family.” Just saying his name made her breath hitch. “From there we found an abandoned rock quarry and set up camp. Our group was bigger then, but we still have Glenn and Daryl.”

“We met Herschel, Beth, and Maggie on their farm when Carl was injured and taken there,” Carol added. “We were safe until a massive herd came through. We lost a lot of people that night.”

“I’m very sorry to hear that. I’ve been alone since this whole thing started. I don’t really know what it’s like to lose people to those things. I don’t know if being alone was any better than that though.”

Changing the subject, Lori spoke up. “How did the run go? We know about the herd, but other than that, what happened Melissa? I know something did.” She said as she gathered the clothes from one of the piles. “Come with us. Help us wash the clothes and we can talk. Whatever happened, we’ll try to help.”

Carol and Melissa each took a pile in their arms and went inside to get baskets. As they walked toward the brook, Melissa told them about the time she spent with Daryl while on the run. “We spent a lot of time alone once we found that house. We did perimeter checks together and had watch together. We . . . fell asleep together. Maggie and Glenn caught us. I think I scared him, but it felt nice. I’ve never been close to anyone and I’m not sure how to talk to him. We’re doing okay, getting along. He seems like a good man. He cares about all ya’ll. He keeps telling me that ya’ll are good people and that when it’s time to move on I should go with ya. He said he wants me to go with ya, and I want that too. We talked a lot and . . . I don’t know. He said some things, I said some things.”

“What things honey? Did he say something bad? Did he yell at you?” Carol asked.

“No, he didn’t yell. He told me something and I still don’t know how I feel about it.” She wasn’t sure if she should reveal his confession to these women. They knew him better than she did, but she needed to know more about him and his motives. “When we were on watch, he told me that he’d seen me bathing at the brook that day we went hunting with Carl. He saved my life then. If he hadn’t been paying attention, I’d be dead. He told me that I was pretty. He saw my body, he watched me from behind the bushes on the other side of the brook. He said he didn’t tell me ‘cause I’d think he was a pervert or something. I don’t know what to think. Why would he have done that?”

Lori and Carol just looked at one another. They didn’t know what to say to her. Carol cleared her throat and said, “I don’t know honey. I know he’d never hurt you or take advantage of you. He’s not that kind of man. Daryl has honor, he has a code he lives by. None of us knows anything about him from before, the things he did, but his brother was a bad influence. We do know that. Since Merle’s been gone, I think he’s starting to realize he can be whoever he wants to be and he’s trying to be the kind of man that can be trusted and relied on. I don’t think he set out to spy on you or watch you. I don’t think he’s had a lot of experience with women and seeing you like that may have scared him a little.”

Lori continued that thought. “He is a good man. He’s been taking better care of me than my own husband has. Daryl makes sure the baby and me get enough food and stay warm. I don’t think he’s ever had the chance to take care of anybody or had people care about him. Think he had a hard time growing up and feels the need to prove himself all the time. He carries a weight on his shoulders and probably feels that he has to do all these things to keep from being thrown out of the group. We would never do that, he means too much to us. We’ve never known Daryl to lie or be manipulative. He wouldn’t know how to do those things. Whatever he said to you, I’d believe it to be true.”

“He doesn’t give himself enough credit,” Melissa said. “He thinks he’s this horrible human being that doesn’t deserve anything nice. I’ve always thought of myself that way, but I don’t know anymore. I’ve never been kissed before and I don’t want to think it’s more than it is. I don’t want to think it meant something when it didn’t.”

“Daryl kissed you?” Lori asked. “Daryl Dixon? Squirrel hunting, crossbow carrying Daryl Dixon kissed you?”

“Yes,” Melissa said shyly, now embarrassed.

“If Daryl kissed you, he meant it,” Carol said and Lori agreed. “That man doesn’t do anything he doesn’t want to. He’s stubborn and pig-headed, but he has compassion and love in his heart. He almost died looking for my little girl when she got lost in the woods. He was the only one who went out every day. He was the only one who never lost hope that we’d find her and she’d be alive. He’s been a comfort to me since I lost her, and he’s stayed and taken care of all of us when he could’ve left to be on his own. I know he would be more comfortable on his own, but he stayed because he didn’t want to be alone any more. He needed to have people, and he got us.”

“I think he sees a lot of himself in you. He knows what it is to be on the outside and want to be let in,” Lori said. “His brother kept him down, kept him separated from people. He’s finally been accepted and wants to pay it forward. He wants to help people and I think he’s found a perfect subject in you. If he kissed you, it meant something to him. Don’t expect too much though. He’s still Daryl Dixon, and he will run and hide from things he doesn’t understand. Give him time to work through this. It’s a big thing that happened and I’m sure he’s freaking out a little. That’s why he went hunting with Rick. It gives him time to think and clear his mind. Don’t let it bother you and don’t think he doesn’t care. He’s just not good with feelings, most men aren’t. Daryl’s a little more ‘emotionally retarded’ than most men though.” 

“I don’t know how I feel about it either. It was great. I’ve never been kissed before, and I didn’t expect it. I just don’t want to expect too much. I don’t know why he did it, but I’m not gonna do anything about it. I’m not gonna bring it up. If he ever wants to talk about it, that’s fine. But I’m not ready for that either.” She tried to convince herself that everything she said was true, but she knew it wasn’t. She desperately wanted to see him, talk to him, and kiss him. She knew she was fucked. Thoughts of him would never leave her mind. None of the women said another word on the subject, just washed their clothes in silence. Melissa noticed that most of the clothes in her pile belonged to Daryl.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "A man should never take advice from another man in matters of love. Especially if he wants that love to live." - Some really smart woman

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the kudos, hits and comments! They make my day!! Hope you enjoy this one. It's full of awkward, rambly Daryl. Let me know what you think.

Chapter 12

Rick and Daryl didn’t say a word to each other for the first ten minutes of their trek. He was fidgety and couldn’t concentrate on what he was doing. He knew Daryl would never tell him unless he asked. “How did Melissa do on the run?”  
“She did fine,” Daryl replied. “I knew she would. Girl’s impressive against walkers. She took down two at once, had a knife in each hand. I think that when it’s time for us to move on, we should take her with us. She’d be a good asset. She can protect the group, defend herself and she ain’t a half bad hunter either.”  
“Well, looks like Daryl Dixon is impressed,” Rick said smiling the whole time. He wasn’t the only one who noticed that the two had been getting along better. He was glad that Daryl had been able to put his attitude and anger aside for the group. Although, he often said he would be better on his own, Rick knew that the man was beginning to feel a part of things, as if he belonged with the group. Daryl was an asset too, their biggest asset, Rick believed. He and Daryl had gotten closer in the last few weeks since the farm. With Shane gone, he had come to rely heavily on Daryl and his abilities. He had even sought advice from the quiet man a time or two. “You’re right though. I agree with you. She’s a strong woman, physically and mentally. She’s sharp as a tack, very aware of her surroundings. I think she’s starting to warm up to us too.”  
“She is,” Daryl said as he kept pretending to track a deer. “Told me she’s tired of being alone, said she wants to be a part of our family. I already asked her to join us. Figured you wouldn’t mind. Everybody seems to like her and we’re starting to get along. I think she’d be a good team player. We need her Rick.” The leader stopped walking and just watched the other man He was in his element here. He felt comfortable; maybe this was why Daryl was offering more than grunts and nods.  
“So you two are doing more than just getting along and being civil to each other?” Rick asked expectantly.  
“What the fuck you mean by that? Ain’t nothing going on between us. I can just see the value in another warm, capable body.” Daryl replied to Rick’s accusatory tone.  
“Calm down man, I didn’t mean nothing like that. Just noticed ya been talking to her. I knew ya could do it. It ain’t that hard to do when ya wanna, now is it? By the way, how capable is her warm body?” Rick smiled slyly and whacked Daryl on the shoulder as he walked past him.  
“Dammit Rick! I done told ya . . . “  
“I know,” Rick said interrupting his friend’s insistence. “Besides the herd, how’d the run go? What’s that housing development look like?”  
“Seemed okay. Weren’t too many walkers around. Only found one in the house where we stayed. Only a few are done though, most of ’em need to be finished, some were barely started.”  
“Do you think that should be a consideration? A place like that I mean. If we could clean it out, make repairs, maybe find some building material? Could we make it work?”  
“Maybe, wouldn’t take much to secure the finished houses. Might be able to find enough of them for all of us. Don’t know for sure. Guess we could give it a try.”  
“We should discuss it in greater detail. Maybe you and I draw up some plans. You know what it looks like; you can tell me what needs to be done.”  
“Sure. We should get Glenn, Maggie, and Melissa in on this too. They were there, same as I was. They might have some ideas.”  
“Maybe tonight, after dinner. We can get together and throw some shit around, see what sticks.” Daryl didn’t respond. He just kept walking, looking for that deer. “Anything else happen out there? Ya’ll have to hear Glenn and Maggie going at it?  
“Naw, thank God. They started getting handsy with each other and Melissa and I went to do a perimeter check. They were making her uncomfortable, me too” Daryl sighed and stopped walking. He looked behind him and saw a fallen tree big enough to sit on, so he sat. He put his bow on the ground and ran his fingers through his hair. “Rick, if I tell ya something, will ya promise not to tell anybody or laugh at me?”  
“Of course Daryl.” He sat next to him on the tree trunk. “We’re family; I wouldn’t risk ruining that to gossip. Besides, I laugh at you, I’m sure I’ll have an arrow up my asshole.”  
“Damn straight you would. I’d pin ya to a tree with it,” he said laughing at the image.  
“What happened Daryl? Is everything okay?”  
“Fuck, I don’t know. While Maggie and Glenn were taking first watch, Melissa and I went to sleep on the pull out couch. When they came back to wake us up, I had my arms around her, and her head was on my chest. I guess we both kinda freaked out. Anyway, I ended up telling her, well . . . shit. Remember a couple days ago when we took Carl out hunting?” Rick nodded his head in acknowledgement. “Well, I went down to the brook to wash up. When I’s done, I heard her coming. Don’t know why I did it, but I ran across to the other side of the brook and hid in the bushes. She didn’t know I’s there. I sat there hiding like a fucking depraved psyco and watched her strip, wash, and touch herself. I fucking rubbed one out to it.” Rick’s eyes were as big as saucers.  
“You did what?” Rick was amazed. He didn’t know what was weirder, the fact that Daryl did that or the fact that he was telling him about it.  
“I ain’t never seen a woman like her before, man. She’s . . . just . . . no words for that. Anyway, she make a comment about her being ugly or something and I told her she weren’t. Told her she’s beautiful. And then . . . I kissed her.”  
“Wait a minute. This happened on the run?”  
“Yup. Haven’t really talked to each other since. What am I supposed to do? Do I need to say something? Do I need to do something? If I ignore it, will it go away?”  
“If she’s planning on coming with us, ya better say something. That kinda shit could make the whole group awkward. How did it happen? Did ya mean to do it? Was it an accident? What did she do? Do you love her?” Rick’s questions came at lightning speed. Daryl couldn’t process it all at once; he just stuck his thumb in his mouth like always.  
“Well, I reckon I meant to do it. Don’t do much that I don’t wanna. She didn’t really do anything. Didn’t really kiss me back or nothing. Don’t think she’s ever done that before. Hell, I barely ever done it myself. I can’t even think those words, much less say ‘em. Don’t know how I feel. I like her. She’s smart, strong, beautiful, voice like a fucking angel and she’s got the sexiest body I ever seen. Don’t know if that’s love or not. Don’t really want to know right now either. Just can’t stop thinking about her, about what happened. She told me she liked waking up next to me, said that it was nice. I don’t wanna fuck this up for the group. I’m in over my head Rick. What the fuck am I supposed to do?”  
The dead rising and coming back to eat them, had shocked Rick Grimes a little, but what he just heard was the most shocking thing he’d ever experienced. This was the most Daryl had ever spoken to him, probably the most he had ever spoken to anyone, he had confided in him. He had taken a risk, a significant risk by Daryl’s standards, and trusted him with what could be the most important event in his life. Rick was speechless. He felt a great weight on his heart and mind. Being the leader/dictator was a cakewalk compared to this. “Uh, I think you need to find out how she feels. Maybe tell her what you told me? Hell, Daryl, I don’t know. I haven’t had to deal with this shit in fifteen years. Lori, she kinda took charge in that department. All I knew was that I wanted to kiss her, hear her voice, stare into her eyes and smell her hair every chance I got. Everything else was a blur. Next thing I know, I’m buying a ring and wearing a fucking tux. I’m shit at this type of advice man, but I will tell you this.” He paused to find the right words. “If what you said is true, all those things you said about her, then you obviously care about her. That’s a start. Just keep doing what you’re doing. Don’t treat her any differently. I know that sounds like total bullshit, and I am pulling all of this out of my ass, but give her a chance to respond. If she comes to you first about it, all you have to do is follow her lead. And stop thinking about the group so much. Do this for yourself and for her. Ya’ll both deserve something of your own.”  
Neither said anything after that. They continued to walk through the woods for a bit until their stomachs started to protest. Daryl was able to get about a half dozen squirrels before they got back to the cabin. Herschel was sitting on the front steps whittling while Beth sat next to him singing softly. Daryl looked around for Melissa, but didn’t see her. He took his squirrels around back and started preparing them for one of the women to cook. Maybe he’d make jerky out of them instead, he thought. He heard feminine giggles coming from behind him and turned to see who it was. Lori, Carol, and Melissa emerged from the woods with baskets of clothes in their arms. While Melissa watched the ground as she walked, the other two woman looked Daryl right in the eyes and smiled.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lots of talking. Some fluff and Beth singing, almost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! Thank you all for the kudos, comments and hits. I love you all! Here's the next one. Hope you like it. Let me know what you think.

Chapter 13

While Melissa and Beth prepared dinner over the fire in the backyard, Daryl sat in the bedroom. He was embarrassed by the word vomit he had spewed all over Rick and knew that Melissa had told Lori and Carol something, he just didn’t know what. There was a soft knock on the door and it opened slowly. Carol cautiously stepped in and sat next to him on the bed, her hands folded in her lap. “Hey Pookie. How are ya doing?”  
“She told ya didn’t she?” He asked, not looking at her.  
“Yeah, well, she told us some things. Don’t know if she told us everything or not. She’s confused and really needed someone to talk to.”  
“I don’t know what to do, don’t know what to say. Should I even do or say anything? Should I ignore it? Dammit!” He stood up and started pacing the room. “Never had to deal with a woman before. Never had to be around one for long, they always just left. Never had to deal with something like this before.”  
“Okay Pookie. Just breathe.” She stood up and put her hand on his shoulder to keep him still. He looked up at her with his thumb hanging out of his mouth. “She’s doubting herself and you. She’s ready to ignore it, but doesn’t want to. You should’ve seen the smile on her face, Daryl. She looked like a teenager whose crush smiled at her in the hallway. Both of you need to think about this before you do or say anything to each other. You were her first kiss, that’s an exciting experience. She’ll be on cloud nine just from that, but don’t treat her any differently. Take her hunting, talk to her like you have been. Decide what you want before you approach the subject. She needs to know how you feel about what happened and how you want things to go. She’ll follow your lead. If she knows you wanted that and you might want it again, she’ll try, just like you will. If you’re serious about this, about her, show her. Include her, make her feel important. She will return the gesture. I know she likes you, she’s attracted to you. Let things happen as they happen. This could be good for both of you.”  
Daryl took a deep breath and sat down on the bed. “Rick said the same thing, kinda. I don’t want to scare her off. I don’t want to fuck up and hurt her. She’s real special and I never had anything special before. Don’t know how to treat someone special. I’m gonna say the wrong thing or do something stupid.”  
“She probably will too. She has as much experience with this as you do, probably less. You’ll both make mistakes, but think before you act or speak. Think how you would react to what you’re doing and saying. You’re gonna be fine Pookie. Dinners almost ready. Come outside and eat with us.”  
“Yeah, I’ll be out in a minute.” Carol held his hand for a brief moment before leaving the room. He took a deep breath and released it slowly. He still didn’t know what he was gonna do, but he was determined that whatever this could be, he was gonna make it work. Trudging through the cabin, he found Beth pulling a guitar out of a closet by the front door. She smiled at him and showed him the instrument. “Look what I found! I haven’t played in ages! It’s gonna be so great Daryl!” By this time, she’s bobbing up and down like a bobble head doll. “After dinner, around the fire, I can sing and play. It’ll be like things are almost normal again.” She darted across the room and out the backdoor. Daryl just shrugged and followed her out the door. He’d make sure he was on watch, even if he had to barter something for it.  
The group was gathered around the fire, Lori and Maggie filling paper plates with rabbit and green beans from a can. Ironically, the only vacant spot was next to Melissa. She handed him a plate and a bottle of water. As he sat down, he gave her a grateful head nod. They ate in silence until Rick cleared his throat. “I was talking to Daryl earlier and I think this housing development they found could be a permanent place for us. It’s gonna need some work, but Daryl thinks there might be enough furnished houses for all of us. We’ll have safety, be protected from the elements and maybe make a life there. I think a few of us should go back out there to check it out.”  
Herschel was the first to speak up. “Melissa, you knew about the development before we came along, what do you think?”  
“Well, it could work. I think all the furnished houses are on the same block, so we’d all be close together. I suppose that we could find a way to build a wall or fortify it someway. The house we stayed in had some non-perishable stuff in it. We didn’t see a lot of the dead ones around, but there might be some in the houses though. I guess if we work together we can get it done.” Daryl just sat and listened to her voice, watched her lips move as she spoke. When she finished, she looked at him and smiled. “What do you think?” It took him a minute to realize she was talking to him. “Uh, yeah, I think she’s right. We should send some people in there. We weren’t able to look around much. We need to see where we’re going, see if maybe there’s place to get supplies from. I say we give it a try. We can’t stay here forever.”  
“Okay.” Rick started. “Daryl, Glenn and I will plan a run into the housing development. We’ll go in a couple days.” Rick looked at his group. They were exhausted, scared and deserved some peace. As much peace as is possible in this world. The sun began to set and everyone finished their meals. “Who’s taking first watch?” Rick asked.  
Daryl looked over to see Beth reaching for the guitar on the ground and shot straight up from the log he was sharing with Melissa. “I’ll go,” he said, swinging his crossbow across his body. He half turned to Melissa, “Wanna go?” he asked her. She only nodded her head and stood, stepping in between group members to follow him from the circle.  
“I should get my other knife and my gun. They’re in the cabin.”  
“Alright, let’s go,” was all he said and led the way inside. She slid her knife in the sheath and tucked the gun in the waistband of her jeans. “We should do a perimeter check first. We won’t go far, won’t take long,” Daryl said and headed out the front door not waiting for her to follow him. He decided to take Carol’s advice and think about what was going on. They walked around the tree line without saying a word to each other. He thought about how he felt, what he wanted. He watched her walk ahead of him. He watched her arms swing, her hips sway and her calves stretch with every step she took. He thought about their kiss, how her lips felt. The whole thing had lasted maybe a minute and had made him hard. Melissa didn’t say anything about that, so he assumed she didn’t notice. The moment his lips touched hers, his heart leapt in his chest. It had been so long since he’d kissed a woman that he was afraid he’d forgotten how to do it properly. He could tell she’d never done this before because her lips didn’t move. He moved his against hers and ran his tongue along the seam of her mouth. She opened herself for him, but he held back. He wanted this to be good, he didn’t want to freak her out with his tongue or his hard-on. He kept one hand on her cheek and one on her hip, but he didn’t pull her any closer.  
“Daryl!” Melissa yelled as quietly as she could. “Where the fuck is your head? Do you know what you’re doing?”  
Fuck, what had he been doing? “I know what the fuck I’m doing!” he paused. “I’s thinking about shit.”  
Melisa calmed down and looked at him. He looked lost, confused and a bit agitated. “I’m sorry. You looked like you were miles away. I kept saying your name, but you didn’t answer. Should we talk?”  
He couldn’t be anything but honest. “Hell if I know. Been trying to figure that out all day. If you want to ignore it, that’s fine by me.”  
“Do you want to ignore it?” she asked him.  
“Wouldn’t be opposed to it,” he said timidly.  
“If you want to ignore it, why are you thinking about it? If you want to ignore it, will your mind let you, because mine won’t.”  
“Carol said we should think about it first. Think about what we want and now we feel. But I don’t know how I feel. I’m a little confused.”  
“Thank God!” she let out the breath she had been holding. “Wait, Carol talked to you? Dammit, if I had thought she’d go running to you, I never would’ve told her anything.”  
“I’m kinda glad she did. We don’t have to talk about anything until we’re ready. If ya want to say something though go ahead, I can take it.”  
“I don’t know what to say either. I just got a bunch of questions running through my head. Don’t know if you could answer ‘em or not. Don’t know if I’m ready to hear ‘em if ya do.”  
They started walking again and made their way back to the front steps of the cabin, Daryl took out a cigarette and offered it to her with his zippo, then lit one for himself. “Go ahead and ask your questions. I’ll answer ‘em if I can.”  
She took a drag off the cigarette and blew the smoke in the opposite direction, “Did it mean anything or was it just something to do at the moment? Do you regret it? Are things gonna change here? Did we make things awkward or should we pretend it never happened? I never been kissed before, nobody ever told me I was pretty. Nobody’s ever been nice to me like you have. I fucking hated you that first night ya’ll was here, but not so much anymore. I just don’t want to think this is something it’s not.”  
Daryl took a long drag off his cigarette and tried to clear his mind, He had no idea how to answer those questions, he really didn’t want to. “I don’t do nothing I don’t wanna, remember that. I meant to do it, I reckon. Don’t think I tripped over something and fell on ya. Probably never woulda done it if things had been different though.” He took another long drag, methodically filling his lungs trying to slow his heart rate. “I don’t know if things are gonna change, or if they should change. I don’t want things to go back to how they were. Don’t want us to hate each other or fight. Just being around you makes things feel awkward. What we did was awkward, at least it was for me. Never kissed anyone like that before, it was different. I suspect things would be awkward even if it hadn’t happened. If you want us to pretend it never happened, I can do that. We’ll just go about things like before. Not used to having people say good things about me either. Carol’s trying to get me used to it. Damn annoying sometimes. I hated you too, but not so much anymore.” He stubbed out his smoke on the porch steps and looked at her. “This can be whatever you want it to be.” He didn’t say anything else, just looked into the tree line, She stood up and turned to walk into the cabin, “I’ll be right back.” She was gone maybe two minutes. Daryl spent those two minutes tapping is foot and chewing on his thumbnail. He was sure he’d said something wrong. When she returned, she handed him two packs of cigarettes.  
“Where’d ya get these? Thought ya weren’t smoking?”  
“I’ve got two cartons hid in the bedroom. Just ‘cause I haven’t been smoking doesn’t mean I don’t want to be prepared if the need arises. You’ve given me a few, so take them. I know you gotta be running low.”  
“Thanks. I thought I’d said something to piss ya off.”  
“No,” she said and lit one of her own, “You were honest, and that’s all I ask for. Ya didn’t say anything stupid or hurtful. You’re better with words than you think ya are. Anything you want to say, or ask?”  
He shook his head. “Naw, not yet. Just trying to wrap my head around all this.” When Rick came out the door, a few minutes later to relieve them, they reported all well on the frontlines and went inside to catch some sleep. As Melissa made her way to the bedroom, Daryl stood back not sure if he should follow her or not. When she opened the door, she turned around and saw him still standing at the front door. He was looking around to see if there was a spot for him on the floor. She watched him, waiting for his eyes to turn to her. When they did, they were lost. They were asking her, pleading with her to tell him what he should do. She waved her hand in front of her, inviting him into the room. He stepped over the bodies on the floor and went into the bedroom with her. He didn’t say anything, neither did she. He sat on the edge of the bed, as he had earlier with Carol, and took off his boots. He felt the bed dip as she sat down on the other side.  
“Are you okay with this? Will this make you uncomfortable?” she asked him, not turning to face him.  
“Ain’t gonna turn down a real bed. As long as you’re okay with this, I am.” He laid flat on his back and then turned to face her. She was still setting on the edge of the bed. He reached out and put his hand on her shoulder. “Would you sing for me?” he asked.  
“Yeah, if you really want me to, but could you do something for me after?”  
“Sure, anything you want,” he said softly.  
“What do you want to hear?”  
“That song you’re momma sang to ya. That okay?”  
“Of course.” He laid back and closed his eyes. He allowed her voice to fill his mind. He thought of his mother. The only person to ever show him love. The only person to never hurt him, until she died and left him with Merle and their father. He could see her beautiful face, her long, black silk hair falling down her back. He could feel her arms around him and her angelic voice in his ears. When the song was over he opened his eyes; they were wet with unshed tears. He reached out to her and took her hand. “What do you want?”  
“I want you to kiss me again.” He sat up and cradled her cheek in his hand. Laying his forehead against hers he whispered, “Of course.” His lips touched hers softly, gently. When she opened her mouth to him this time, he did not waste his time. He invaded her mouth with his tongue, wrapping around hers passionately. He wrapped her long, black hair in his fist and pulled her on top of him and lowered himself back onto the bed. He was losing himself in this kiss. He rolled them over and took his lips from hers and began putting suckling, wet kisses on her neck. He didn’t stop until he felt the tightness in his jeans. It was like a kick in the head. He abruptly removed his lips from her skin and lifted himself off her. “I’m . . . I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”  
Melissa was shaking her head. “Please, don’t apologize. It felt good. Let’s just sleep, we both need it.” He gave her a quick nod and climbed under the sheets. She turned her back to him. He pulled his body up behind her and wrapped his arm around her waist.  
“Is this okay?” he asked, whispering low into her ear. He felt her body shutter as his hot breath hit her skin.  
“Yes,” she said breathlessly. “Thank you.”  
“For what?”  
“For everything,” she replied.  
“You don’t need to thank me for anything Melissa. I should be thanking you for allowing a piece of shit like me anywhere near you.”  
“You’re not a piece of shit Daryl. You’re an amazing man. Goodnight.” He waited until he felt her body relax in his arms, till he knew she was asleep. “Goodnight angel.”


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the kudos! Ya'll rock. This one has extra cheese, forgive me. Now, without further ado, allow me to introduce, rambling Meryl.

Chapter 14  
Rick was eager to start planning the trip to the housing development. He, Daryl, Glenn and Maggie were huddled together all day looking at maps and making lists. Melissa let them have it. She spent her day with Lori, Beth and Carol. She had Carl convinced, at one point that helping with chores would make a man out of him. He quickly decided he’d rather be a kid if that’s what it took. Herschel told her stories about his life. He told her about the struggles he had because of his drinking. She listened carefully to every work he said. She believed what she told Daryl about the old people. She knew in her heart that this old man could see things others couldn’t, and knew things that were yet to come. Daryl had said a polite ‘hello’ every time he walked by them, and Herschel smiled at Melissa every single time. He caught the blush that crept onto her cheeks. “I’m glad to see that you two kids are getting along. I think you bring out the good in each other.”  
“I hope so,” she replied. “I’m sure he’s still an asshole deep down, but so am I. I hope that things don’t start going backward though. He really seems like a good man. I don’t know everything about him, but I would like to someday. He asked me to come with ya’ll when you leave.”  
“I hope you do. You’re a strong woman. You can take care of yourself and you have, I think, a desire to take care of others. Everyone in the family loves you already. I think Daryl especially.”  
“I don’t know if love is the right word, but I’m starting to feel like I might belong with your group. I guess I got lucky when you invaded my life. I’m sure there are people out there who aren’t as kind as ya’ll.”  
“Believe me Melissa, there are people out there who have reverted from civilized society. Sometimes, it’s needed. The rules aren’t the same anymore. Without laws, people feel they can do whatever they want now without consequence. That’s why it is so important to stick together. There is safety in numbers. I’m still a religious man, I still have my beliefs, but many of my opinions have changed since I met these people. I was blind to the reality of this new world, but they showed me the light.”  
She sighed loudly. She didn’t want to admit it, but she had no choice. “I always believed that I would be better on my own. When I was younger I knew that getting close to people only meant I’d get hurt. I stayed away from everyone and everyone stayed away from me. I think my opinions are changing too.”

 

Maggie couldn’t stop herself from smirking every time she saw Daryl pass by her father and Melissa. She didn’t hear anything Rick was saying. “Maggie,” Rick said, “does that sound like a good plan?”  
“Sure Rick, sounds good. I’m in.”  
“What did he say Maggie?” Glenn asked laughing.  
She looked sheepishly at both men. “Well shit! Okay, I have no idea what you just said. I’m sure the plan is fine. Sorry, but I’m a little distracted.” She pointed to Daryl who was sitting on the ground by his bike. He was absentmindedly polishing the fenders and stealing glances toward the old man and his current companion.  
“Something happened with them on the run.” Glenn said. “Ya know, we caught them in bed together.”  
Rick smirked. “Yeah, he told me about it.  
“He talked to you?” The lovebirds said in stereo.  
“Yes, but I promised him that I wouldn’t repeat anything he told me. He’s a bit confused by things.”  
“He stayed in her room last night. I heard her singing, but I didn’t hear anything else,” Maggie said.  
“Just leave ‘em be. If anybody says anything to them, I wouldn’t stop Daryl from putting an arrow in their ass, or Melissa from gutting them with those big ass knives of hers.” Rick turned and walked away, treading slowly in Daryl’s direction. “Anything wrong with the bike?”  
“Naw, nothing a little ride around wouldn’t cure. She’s been sitting for too long.”  
“It’s only been a few days, but if ya want to take her on the scout tomorrow, be my guest. Maggie, Glenn and I will take the pick-up.”  
“We all that’s going? They gonna be safe here without us?”  
“I think so. Thanks to you Carol’s got pretty good with that rifle. Lori and Carl can handle a pistol and Herschel’s as good as a sniper. They’ll be fine. Haven’t seen too many walkers since we got here. Maybe we hit a sweet spot.”  
“Yeah, maybe,” Daryl said, doubtful. “Or maybe that fucking herd is still headed right for us. If we’re gonna move on we need to stop pussyfootin’ around and get to it.”  
“We’ll pack up tonight, leave before daylight tomorrow. Do ya think we can do it in one day or should we plan on staying?”  
“Depends,” Daryl said and finally stood. He put the dirty, red rag in his back pocket. “What we find, who we find, how many houses ya wanna go through. Should plan on an overnighter, wouldn’t hurt to be prepared. We got enough food to last the others till we get back?”  
“Yeah, unless Carl or the baby go through a growth spurt.” Rick laughed at his own joke. “Don’t go out today. Stay with us, relax, make some bolts, and work on the bike, whatever. We’ll start loading up later. Won’t take long with everybody’s help.”  
“Alright,” the hunter said warily. “I might go looking for some good sticks to use for bolts, but I’ll stay close.”  
“Good, I’m gonna go make a list of stuff to watch and things to check for.” He slapped Daryl on the back as he passed to go inside. “Oh, and if Glenn or Maggie give you shit, you have my permission to shoot ‘em in the ass.”  
“The fuck are you talking about?”  
“They think they know something. Don’t take their shit.”  
“I don’t take nobody’s shit,” the hunter said proudly.  
“I know ya don’t Daryl.” Rick smirked and walked inside.  
The hunter looked over at the vehicle where the lovebirds were standing and laughing. When he caught their eyes, he made an elaborate show of grabbing the crossbow and swinging it across his back. He walked off, ignoring them, he knew they were smart enough not to open their mouth to him about anything. He thought about last night and decided that he would ask Melissa if she wanted to go bolt hunting with him. Maybe he would get to kiss her again. “Hey Herschel, what’s going on?” he asked as he got closer to the pair.  
“Hello Daryl. I’m just having a nice conversation with a beautiful woman. It’s been a long time since I got to enjoy doing this with someone other than my daughters.” They both watched Melissa blush at the comment, but say nothing in response. “I’m gonna go see if Rick needs help making his list,” was all he said before heading inside to find their fearless leader.  
“Ya’ll got everything set for tomorrow?” Melissa asked once Herschel was gone.  
“Just about. Gonna plan for an overnighter, just in case. We’ll load up the truck later so we can head out first thing. Rick, Maggie and Glenn are taking the pick-up, I’m taking the bike.”  
“Always wanted to ride a motorcycle,” she said wistfully. “Knew guys that had ‘em, but they wouldn’t have let me ride.”  
He took her comment into consideration. “I was gonna go out to look for stuff to make bolts. If ya want, we can take the bike out for a while. You could help me look.” She looked at him. She was starting to realize just how much she enjoyed doing that.  
“Really? You’d take me for a ride on your bike? That’d be great! Thank you!”  
“Alright, calm down. Let me go tell Rick what we’re doing. Make sure ya got your gun and the knives. Meet me at the bike.” She followed behind him and went to the bedroom to retrieve the Beretta, she already had the knives, and she carried them constantly. They met again at the door and walked to the bike together. Daryl took off his crossbow and handed it to her.  
“What am I supposed to do with this? Shoot dead ones as we ride by?”  
“No, your gonna carry it while I’m driving. Don’t have a seat to put it on, or a hook to hang it from. I can’t carry it on my back because there wouldn’t be room for you. You’re gonna have to hold on to me. Don’t got no seat belts to keep ya from falling off.” He stepped closer to her and put it around her shoulders, fixing it to rest against her back. “Come on, ain’t got all day.” She watched him mount the bike. He held his hand out to her to steady her as she climbed on behind him. “Keep your feet on the pegs, wrap your arms around me.” The engine roared to life and Daryl smiled to himself. He felt her arms wrapped loosely around him, her palms flat on his chest. He turned his head to speak to her. “A little tighter, and lower.” He removed her hands from his body and pulled them tighter, he could feel her breasts against his back. He wrapped each hand around the opposite forearm and placed them low on his stomach. He felt a rush of heat go through him and a stirring in his pants at the proximity of her body to his and her hands to his dick. He just hoped he could concentrate on the road. He didn’t want to have a wreck caused by a hard-on.  
Melissa had never felt this kind of excitement in her life. She had never felt the wind blow through her hair. Whenever he would make a turn, she would hold him tighter. By the time they came to a stop, she was a mess of giggles. He removed her hands but held one to help her off the bike. He sat there and watched her hide her face from him as her giggles became louder and stronger. Her eyes lit up like they were on fire. She had the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. His heart grew at the sight of her. He had forgotten about his dick, right now he just wanted to laugh with her. “That was fucking amazing! God I wish I could’ve been doing that all along. I’m never gonna walk again. You’re gonna have to carry me on that thing from now on.” He stood from the bike and walked over to her. He caressed her smiling cheek with his thumb. “It would be my pleasure,” he said softly. He reached around her and took his crossbow from her body. “Come on, I’ll show you how to pick good bolts.”  
She followed him around and watched him pick up sticks and throw them back, then he found a couple he kept. When he was on his knees in the dirt and leaves, he motioned for her to join him. She stood in front of him as he gazed up at her, holding out one of the sticks. “This one’s perfect. It’s almost perfectly straight. I can shave off little bits to make it straighter. This one here is from a maple tree, dogwood works good too. Gotta check for holes ‘cause they won’t fly straight if there’s any hollow spaces. They need to have some weight on ‘em too. My bow has a hundred fifty pound draw weight, need something heavy that won’t snap in two when it’s released or when it hits the target. Think you can find me some like that?” She took the soon-to-be bolt from his hand and inspected it.  
“Sure, most all of the trees here are maple. Shouldn’t be too hard.”  
“I’ve picked ten so far and only two of them will work. Might be harder than you think.” She just rolled her eyes.  
“Oh ye of little faith.” She flashed that beautiful smile that stopped his heart. After about thirty minutes of looking, she walked back to him with enough sticks to start a fire.  
“What the hell girl? Where’d you find all that? You inspect ‘em all? They up to my standards?” he said, teasing her.  
“I didn’t know rednecks had standards,” she said smiling again and dropped her armful of potential weapons at his feet. He rolled his eyes in exasperation. “Bet you, out of all this, I may find one good stick.”  
“What do I get when you lose redneck?” She was giddy, she was actually having fun with this man.  
“You don’t get a damn thing, ‘cause you ain’t gonna win. I know what I want when I win though.” He tried not to smirk as he said it.  
“What do you want?” Her smile disappeared and she looked at him with curiosity.  
“You’ll know soon enough. You just sit and watch my smile when I prove I’m right.” She sat, cross-legged on the ground in front of him as he looked at her sticks. He was making two piles, one good and one bad, she assumed. Soon one pile was bigger than the other, but she didn’t know which one that was. His face was unreadable and she started getting worried, surely she expected to see the smile he promised her. When all the sticks had been separated, he held his head down and didn’t speak. Finally, she heard him mumble something under his breath.  
“What? I didn’t hear you.” the smile crept back to her lips.  
“You won. More than half of these are near perfect. I’m gonna have enough bolts to last a few months. Gonna have to make a new quiver just to hold ‘em.”  
“I’ll make you one myself. This was fun. How long till I get to prove you wrong again?”  
He looked up at her, moving only his eyes to her face. “You’re not gonna make this easy on me, are ya?”  
She knelt in front of the rock he was sitting on. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to gloat, but I’ve never had the chance to prove myself to someone before. No one ever gave me a chance to show them what I can do. It’s a good feeling to know I’ve done something good and that someone else sees it.” He moved his eyes back to the ground.  
“I see everything ya do,” he said, half hoping she wouldn’t hear him. “Okay, so you won the bet. What do ya want this time?”  
“Tell me something about yourself, something nobody else knows. It don’t have to be big or important, just something that’ll help me know ya better. We got to get to know each other eventually, and I told ya ‘bout my mom and dad, and the state home. I just thought maybe you could give me a little bit about you.”  
He was surprised by her request. It wasn’t what he had expected, nor what he hoped for. “There ain’t anything to tell. Don’t know what would interest ya ‘bout me.” His mind shuffled through every horrible thing that ever happened to him; the beatings, the humiliation, the despair and the loneliness that made his whole existence. He didn’t want her to know about any of that.  
“Tell me a funny story. Something stupid and reckless you did as a kid, some adventure you had.” He never had adventures. Everything he’d ever done had ended up with a belt buckle dragged down his back or having to bail Merle outta jail. It had all been stupid and reckless, and none if it funny or fun.  
“Well, this ain’t funny or reckless or any of that shit, but that song ya sing. The one ya momma sang to ya? My momma sang it to me too. When I was little and things would get bad, she’d put her arms around me and sing that song. She sang like an angel, just like you.” He ran his fingers through her long, dark hair. “Her hair was long and dark, just like yours,” he moved his face closer to hers. “She was beautiful, just like you.” His body moved away from the rock and pressed against hers, leaning her back onto the leaves that covered the floor of the woods. He hovered above her and looked into her eyes asking permission to take what he wanted. She licked and bit her bottom lip and he hungrily took that lip into his mouth. She wrapped her arms around his neck in an attempt to pull him closer to her. His hands went to her waist and when his thumbs brushed over her ribs, she moaned and he felt her stomach spasm under his touch. His mouth moved to her jaw and the magic spot under her ear. He whispered, low and husky, things she never thought she would hear from a man.  
He didn’t want to be crude, but the only thing running through his mind right now, was how badly he needed to pound her pussy into the ground. She moaned when he kissed and touched her. His arousal was increasing with every sound she made. It was the most erotic thing he had ever heard. He was afraid to speak, afraid that if he told her what he wanted to do to her, right here, right now, she would knock him into next week and rip his balls of before he went. He nipped and sucked at her ear and neck. He kept telling her how fucking beautiful and amazing she was. He told her that he’d never wanted a woman as much as he wanted her, at least he thought he did. His mind couldn’t differentiate between inner thought and spoken word. He was either saying the right things or she was oblivious to his voice. He licked his way down to her chest and put sucking kisses onto the top of her breasts. “AAAHHH, Daryl! God!” She exclaimed louder than she intended. He torturously removed his mouth from her body. “You okay? Did I hurt you? Ya want me to stop?”  
“No, yes. Shit! I don’t know. Daryl, what the hell is this?” He let her go and sat up.  
“Hell if I know. Never done this before. I mean, I done this, but not like this. Never wanted to spend time with anybody like this. I feel different around you. Never had a woman who was nice to me, or tried to be. Never wanted to make anybody happy before. You got a beautiful smile and laugh, and ya make me wanna smile and laugh too. Ya make me feel . . . shit, I don’t know, not angry. I’m starting to feel comfortable around ya, I don’t feel scared to talk to ya. That day I saw you at the brook, the day I saw ya, I wanted you. I wanted to touch you. I ain’t good enough for you, but I can’t let this go.”  
“I want to find out what this is,” Melissa sat up and pushed the hair out of his face. “I don’t know how to do anything. I don’t know what to do or . . . I don’t know anything. I feel like such a little girl around you. My heart beats faster, my skin tingles. Damn, I don’t even know what to say without sounding ignorant.” He gently pulled her onto his lap.  
“You don’t have to say anything. I was never good with words, ain’t got any better at it. Words don’t mean anything unless ya can back ‘em up. I won’t do anything you don’t want. You tell me, we both gotta learn how to do this. Whatever you want to do, or not do, just tell me, or show me. Don’t be afraid of me. I want you Melissa. Wanna kiss you, touch you. Do you want that?”  
“Yes, I do. I’m gonna try. I don’t know what we can do, I don’t know what I’m ready to do, but I’ll try. Just be patient with me.” Daryl kissed her forehead.  
“It’s a lot of little steps, but we’ll take ‘em together.”


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bolt making, fluff and stuff

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the kudos and hits. Love your comments too. Here is another one for you. Hope you like it. Let me know what you think.

Chapter 15  
The ride back to the cabin was less stressful for Daryl than the ride into the woods. Melissa was holding him tightly, but instead of a raging, concentration busting hard-on, he felt calm and relaxed. He’d never felt that, especially around other people. He’d never been that honest with anyone, not about feelings anyway. As often as he’d told Merle to fuck off and leave him be, both of them knew he didn’t really mean it. Maybe Melissa was right. Maybe he was better with words than he thought. She hadn’t yelled or hit him when he’d told her how he felt. Maybe he was worthy of this after all?  
Melissa kept her arms tight around Daryl’s waist and her forehead on his shoulder blade. They were riding into the wind this time and the coldness was effecting her. She wasn’t giggling on this trip. She had a sly smile on her hidden face. Daryl’s words repeated on a loop in her head. She could still feel the weight of his body over hers and the roughness of his chapped lips on her skin. The trip back to the cabin was shorter than she would have liked, but she knew she would be back on that bike soon.  
They arrived just in time to help load up the truck. Melissa took the saddle bag containing the sticks she had collected and took them inside. Rick’s eyes went wide as saucers when he saw the large bag overflowing. “Wow Daryl. Those bolts should last a long time. Ya did a good job finding all those. Maybe you could get even more before we move on.”  
“Maybe, but I weren’t the one who found ‘em. It was all her,” he said and nodded in the direction of the door where Melissa was walking out.   
“Well,” Rick said, smiling, “ain’t that something.” He glanced over at the hunter and saw the smile on his face as well. “I think when we found this place, we found more than just shelter. I think we got pretty lucky all the way around.” Daryl couldn’t keep his eyes off her as she came down the steps and made her way toward them.  
“Mmmmm,” he agreed. “She’s pretty amazing,” Daryl admitted quietly. “I think she should go with us tomorrow. She can ride on the bike with me.”  
“Of course, she’s going Daryl. Can’t imagine doing anything without her, can ya?” Daryl walked over to the truck and rearranged a few items. “Don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.” Rick helped him put more items in the bed.  
“You seem pretty relaxed. Something happen out there? Ya don’t seem as stressed out as ya did yesterday when we talked.” Daryl stopped what he was doing and looked his friend and leader in the eye.  
“We didn’t fuck if that’s your meaning. We just talked about stuff. I think she likes me. I just don’t want to take advantage. She ain’t never done nothing like this, and I ain’t either, really. Don’t know how to care about somebody the right way. We’re gonna go slow, see what happens.”  
“Don’t go too slow. You may miss out on something great. Nowadays we’re not promised out next breath. You’ve got good instincts, you can read people, so can she. Ya’ll be just fine.” Just then Melissa walked up to them.  
“What’s left? What can I do?”  
“Nothing,” Rick answered. “Think we got everything, unless there’s something ya’ll want to bring along.”  
“Ya’ll?” she asked. “Am I invited?”  
Daryl cleared his throat. “’Course ya are. Wouldn’t be making this trip ‘cept for you. ‘Sides, I’ll let ya ride on the bike again.” Rick just slapped him on the shoulder and walked over to Hershel and Beth, leaving the two of them alone.  
“You don’t have to carry me on that bike all the time. I’s just kidding about that.”  
“Well, I wasn’t,” he replied. “It’s been years since I had somebody on the back of that thing. Feels nice.”  
“Yeah, it felt nice being on it. Never felt free like that before. I could get addicted to that.”  
He smiled at the thought of her being addicted to holding him. “You’re welcome to ride with me anytime. Let’s go inside. I’ll show ya how to make a bolt.” They went inside together, and sat by the fire. Daryl showed her how to shave it down, straighten it and get the knots out, then they sharpened the end. They only got through a handful before Carol brought them each a plate and a bottle of water. “I thought you two might be too busy to stop for dinner.” They each gave their thanks and dove into the meal. They didn’t say much, devouring the savory rabbit and canned vegetables because they had barely eaten all day. Melissa did ask questions though. Mostly about hunting and tracking, she had taught herself when she had begun living in the woods and although she could provide for herself, she knew Daryl could teach her a few things. Daryl admired her interest and apparent awe of his abilities, it made him feel god about himself. It gave him a sense of self confidence. He was beginning to notice that he was having that feeling more often now since he met her. Carol and Rick were trying hard, but it seemed that Melissa didn’t have to. He didn’t realize that he smiled whenever she was in close proximity to him. He smiled when she spoke and he smiled when he looked at her. The rest of the group noticed though.  
When their plates were clean, they took them to the kitchen and washed them off in the bucket of water Carol had placed there for that purpose. “Do you want to make more bolts, or do you have watch soon?” she asked him.  
“I’d love to make a few more bolts if we got the time, but I don’t know who’s got first watch tonight. Let me go talk to Rick real quick, I’ll be back.” She dried off the dishes as he went to find Rick, and hummed to herself unknowingly.   
“Do ya need some help?” Melissa jumped about a foot into the air when Beth snuck up on her.  
“Good Lord girl! You scared the shit outta me.”  
“Sorry, I thought I was being loud enough. Didn’t want to sneak up on ya,” Beth said apologetically.  
“No worries sweetheart. I was off in my own world, it was my fault for being distracted. What did ya want hon?”  
“Just wanted to know if I could help. I can bring in the rest of the dishes and we can have ‘em done in no time.”  
“Sounds good. Daryl went to find Rick. I’m sure he’ll be gone for a bit, should give us time to get it done.”  
“I think he likes you,” Beth said bluntly. “I’ve never seen him this agreeable or nice. He actually uses words instead of just grunts and nods. Ya’ll been spending a lot of time together too. I’m real happy for ya. It’s nice to see him smile. I think you like him too, don’t ya?” she said with a sly smile.  
Melissa sighed. “I think I might, but let’s not tell him that just yet. I don’t want him to think he can use that against me.”  
Beth’s eyes grew wide. “He would never do that! He would never hurt you, or anybody! He may be a little standoffish, quiet, shy, and surly at times, but he’s a real good man. He’s saved us all at one time or another, me especially. I ain’t no good with knives or guns, can’t defend myself for shit . . . sorry. I’m just a kid to them, but Daryl keeps me safe, keeps his eyes out for me. He’s like my big brother. I lost mine, but he’s just as good to me as Shawn was.”  
Melissa considered all Beth said. She knew it was all true. She finally knew what kind of man Daryl Dixon was . . . is. He is a man she can trust, with her life and her heat, but that didn’t quell her fear of being hurt, not completely anyway. “I know Beth. He is a good man. I know it, I believe it. You’re right about everything, but I’m still scared of getting hurt. Nothing will ever change that, not matter how we might feel about each other. It’s hard to let that fear go.” Just then, the front door opened and closed and Daryl walked into the kitchen.  
“Am I interrupting something?” he asked looking at the ground.  
“Uh, I’m gonna go grab those plates, be right back.” Beth said and darted to the door. Daryl took a few steps toward Melissa until he was inches away from her. She backed up to the kitchen counter and he put his hand on either side of her body, resting on the counter.  
“Rick wants me to take first watch with him tonight. We’ll go out in a few, only be a couple of hours. Maggie and Glenn, Herschel and Carl are gonna take their turns after.” He leaned into her. “You got the night off. I want ya to try and get some good sleep tonight, gonna be a long couple of days.” He paused, looking at her lips. “Can I stay with ya tonight?” he asked hesitantly.   
“Yes. I was hoping you would want to.”  
“I do, more than anything.” He closed the small gap between them and touched his lips to hers softly. The banging of the door startled them both and he jumped back, immediately missing the sweetness of her lips. Beth bounded into the kitchen, her arms full of dishes.  
“Oops, sorry. I thought you’d already gone on watch.”  
“Yeah,” he said, a touch of sadness in his voice. “I’m on my way now.” Before he left the kitchen, he turned to Beth. “Make sure she gets to bed, she’s gonna need her rest.”  
“Yes sir, Mr. Dixon! I’m on it.” She saluted him for added effect.   
“Don’t be a smartass Beth. I’ll tell your daddy,” he joked.  
She and Melissa washed the dishes in silence. Beth knew how alike those two were and she didn’t want to make their host feel uncomfortable or risk her shutting down, so she didn’t ask about what had happened while she was gone. When they were finished, Melissa said she was going to clean up the bolt mess and go to bed. This whole day had made her giddy with happiness and excitement, and now she was exhausted. She took the new bolts and the soon-to-be into the bedroom. She took off her boots and jeans and climbed into bed. She extinguished the bedside candle and was soon asleep. She didn’t wake up when Daryl came into the room two hours later. He crept as quietly as he could around the room trying not to wake the beautiful woman whose bed he would be sharing. He took off his boots and vest and crawled under the blankets with her. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back against his chest as tightly as he could. He felt her bare legs and moaned quietly into her neck. He held her even tighter, and whispered into her ear, “I’ll take your fear away, I promise my love.”


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens on the scouting trip

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to all who have left kudos and comments on this story. I know I say this all the time, but you guys really do rock! This one introduces a familiar character that we all know and love (?) Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. Let me know what you think. And btw, check out my good friend Bella_Monoxide. She has some amazing Rickyl out there. You should try to catch it.

Chapter 16

He was awoken by movement within his arms. She was trying to escape without waking him up. He just held her tighter and breathed her in. “Can’t leave yet.”  
“I gotta pee Daryl. Unless you’d prefer I piss all over you and the bed,” she said.  
“No ma’am. I ain’t into that shit,” he said with a straight face, and released her. “I’ll go with you.”  
“I can take a piss by myself, I’m a big girl now,” she said mockingly.  
“I’m most certainly aware of that woman, but I don’t want ya going off on your own, even with your knives. ‘Sides, I gotta piss too. Might as well go together, it’s safer,” he said as he tugged on his boots and vest. He sat and watched her shimmy into her jeans. She was trying to angle her body so he wouldn’t see her ass, but was unsuccessful.  
“Please don’t look at me, just don’t.” Her face was pink with embarrassment and she avoided looking into his eyes. He stood from the bed and crossed to the other side where she was standing. He put his hands on her shoulders and leaned into her ear.  
“You’re beautiful, every part of you. I told ya that before. I like looking at ya, and I’m gonna make sure ya believe that someday. Now let’s go ‘fore I piss my pants” When they got back to the cabin, everyone was up and moving about. Carol was packing breakfast to go, just granola bars and stale pop tarts, but it was portable. It was a beautiful day to be on the bike. The sun was out and it was fairly warm considering winter would be here soon. Daryl grabbed his leather jacket and an extra flannel, the only one he had with sleeves, just in case Melissa needed it later. He made sure he had enough bolts and brought the unfinished ones so they could work on them tonight. Right as they were about to head out, he pulled her to the side of the cabin.  
“Okay. You ready to go?”  
“Yep, got my knives and the gun. Checked my ammo, that’s good too. I don’t think I’m forgetting anything.”  
“Good. I want ya to keep your eyes open. If you see anything or need to stop for some reason, just give me a nudge, I’ll stop. Remember to hold on tight. Might be going a little fast. If something happens, I want ya to be safe, okay?” He laid a hand on her cheek. “We’re a team out there. We’ll keep watch over each other, take care of each other. You need anything, just tell me.”  
“Yes daddy,” she said softly, half annoyed by his protectiveness. Daryl’s dick twitched just a little hearing her say that, the way she said it. He shook his head and smiled.  
“Don’t make daddy have to put you over his knee now girl.” He blushed when he realized what he had said. “Just don’t want to lose you.” He kissed her, gently at first, but soon he felt engulfed by the soft, sweetness of her lips. She wrapped her arms around his neck and returned the kiss with passion. When they broke the apart, she stared into his eyes. They were the most beautiful shade of blue she had ever seen. They made her feel nervous. She couldn’t see a bit of ill intent in them, but they stared back at her and it made her skin tingle.  
“We should head out. Their probably looking for us,” she whispered, not wanting to break the spell that had been cast on them.  
“Yeah, let’s go.” She followed him around to the front of the cabin, where Maggie was saying her goodbyes to her father and sister. Melissa noticed that Rick was not doing the same with his wife. She remembered what Lori had said about how well Daryl had been taking care of her and the baby and she wondered for the first time why he would do that, and why her husband wouldn’t. She put it in the back of her mind for now, she would ask Daryl when she had a chance. If she was going to travel with these people, she needed to know their group dynamics a little better.  
Thirty minutes into the trip, Rick flashed the truck lights, telling Daryl to stop. He and Melissa had been leading the tiny caravan on the bike and wouldn’t have known otherwise if something was wrong. He helped her off the motorcycle and held onto her longer that he probably should have. When Rick, Glenn and Maggie came running out of the truck, he let her go and ran over to them. “What the hell’s going on?” Maggie pushed past them and ran into the woods.  
“Maggie’s sick,” was all Glenn said, worry apparent on his face. He moved to follow her into the woods, but Melissa stopped him.  
“I’ll go. You guys stay here. Talk amongst yourselves. We’ll be back soon.” She followed the path the other woman had taken and found her about twenty feet from the tree line, offering up her meager breakfast back to the Earth. “Maggie? Are you okay?”  
“I don’t know,” she said. Her chest was heaving and her face was pale and flushed. “I was just fine and all of a sudden, my breakfast started rebelling. I don’t know if it was the way Rick was driving, or . . . . . . ah shit!” Melissa had to turn her head, she didn’t want to start a chain reaction of puke. When Maggie was done, she glanced at the woman sympathetically, noticing bits of strawberry filling on the ground.  
“Carol did say the pop tarts were a little stale. Maybe they went bad?” said Melissa, offering her words as comfort.  
“Don’t know, don’t care. I just want it to stop.” Melissa put her hand on Maggie’s back and rubbed it gently. Her momma had done that for her when she’d had the stomach flu once, and it had calmed her down. After twenty minutes without throwing up, Maggie slowly got to her feet. “Thank you. That made me feel a lot better.”  
“I think not throwing up made you feel better. Let’s go find you a bottle of water, maybe there will be something in one of the houses to calm your stomach. We don’t have much farther to go.” Maggie wrapped her arms around Melissa and hugged her tightly.  
“You really are one of us, ya know. You’re a perfect fit for this family. We’re lucky to have found you.”  
“Thank you Maggie. I’m lucky you found me too. Let’s get you back to Glenn. He was worried sick.” As they made their way back to the vehicles, Glenn came running as soon as he saw them. He kissed his woman and held her tight, leading her back to the truck.  
“Is she gonna be alright?” Rick asked.  
“Yeah, I think so. It was probably either bad pop tarts or your driving,” she said. Rick looked at her with surprise. “It was the pop tarts most likely” she said and patted him on the shoulder before walking to the bike.   
Daryl followed closely behind and helped her back on the bike. “You sure she’s gonna be okay?”  
“Pretty sure. I told her I’d try to find something for her stomach once we get to the development.”  
“Wait,” he said, turning to look at her, “didn’t you have a pop tart too?”  
“Yeah, but I feel fine. Guess we’ll just wait and see.”  
About forty-five minutes later, Daryl pulled to a stop outside the entrance to the development. Everyone grabbed their weapons and huddled together before they went in. “The streets look pretty clear, but we go in, check it out. If everything looks good, we’ll come back and get the vehicles,” Rick said, barking out his orders. Everyone complied, even Melissa, who, as happy as she was to help, still didn’t appreciate being told what to do. That is something else she would have to talk to Daryl about. They walked in, Daryl taking point with Rick, Glenn and Maggie following and Melissa bringing up the rear. Nothing had changed since they had been here a few days ago, at least nothing that anyone other than Daryl and Melissa noticed. Once they had made a round through the neighborhood, they walked back to the entrance. Daryl figured out that Melissa had noticed it too when she didn’t make a move to get back on the bike. Rick, Glenn and Maggie got into the truck and rolled right in, Daryl and Melissa behind them, walking the bike.  
When they arrived at the house the four had stayed in previously, the two pedestrians took Rick aside to talk. “Ya see that box truck up a ways on the next street?” Rick nodded his head. “That weren’t there three days ago. Don’t know where it came from, who it is or if they’re still here. We gotta stay on alert.”  
“Why didn’t Maggie or Glenn say anything?” the leader asked.  
“Probably didn’t notice,” Melissa said. “They get wrapped up in themselves sometimes.”  
“That they do,” Rick said.  
“How is Maggie? She seems to be alright now.”  
“Yeah, she got her color back and hasn’t complained about her stomach. I think you were right, about the pop tarts, ‘cause it sure as hell ain’t my driving.” Rick said and smiled.  
They entered the house cautiously, just as they had before. When the all clear was given, they brought in their bags. Daryl took his and Melissa’s stuff upstairs to one of the bedrooms and dropped it off. When he was back downstairs he heard the other four in the kitchen, making a plan. They would check out the other houses in two groups; Glenn, Maggie and Rick in the first and Daryl and Melissa in the second. They decided to clear four more houses. That way everybody could have one and live with whomever they choose. They were to grab whatever supplies they could find and then reconvene back at home base when they were finished. The first house that Daryl and Melissa went to looked a lot like the one they has stayed in before. Same trinkets and baubles lying about, same color carpet and drapes. The biggest difference was what they found in the master bedroom. A family; a husband, wife, son, daughter and a baby, no more than six months old. They had all been shot in the head, every one of them, even the baby. Daryl assumed the father had killed his family then taken his own life, because the gun was still in his hand. He ushered Melissa out of the room and back down stairs. Somewhere between walking out the bedroom door and arriving in the living room, she had stated crying. Daryl held her and rubbed her back. “Is that the first time you ever seen anything like that?”  
“Yes,” she said, between sobs.  
“Alright. You sit on the couch, get yourself together. I’ll go back up and finish checking it out. I’ll get Rick and Glenn to help me move he bodies later.” As he turned to leave, she took his arm.   
“I can do it. I can help you. I’m strong enough to do it.”  
He sighed and said, “I know you are. I know you want to, but you don’t need to. You don’t have to do shit like that anymore. I don’t want ya to. I want to do this for ya, so you don’t have to. It’s what we do for each other. We share in the heavy lifting. You can rest for a while.” He went back upstairs and she sat on the plastic covered couch. It took him about twenty minutes to check the rest of the house and grab some supplies. “I fit what I could in my bag. There’s lots more stuff up there, we can come back and get it later. Let’s check the kitchen, then move on.” They found a few cans of veggies and boxes of pasta which Melissa put in her bag. Then they moved on to the next house.  
The house next door was not nearly as furnished as the other two they had been in. This one was completed, but hadn’t been moved into. There was no furniture, pictures, decorations or food. Daryl decided that when they brought the rest of the group in, he would ask Melissa to share this one with him. When they arrived back at home base, Rick and the others hadn’t returned yet. They noticed that the box truck was gone too. When they went inside, they unpacked their booty, each snagging a few items for themselves. They took their stuff and went upstairs to the bedroom Daryl had picked out for them. They hadn’t really spoken to each other since they found the family. Melissa was clearly bothered by the unexpected find, but was keeping it to herself. She went to the window and looked out toward the street. The blinds were mostly closed, so no one could see her standing there in the open. Daryl was sitting on the bed, his back to her. He could hear her sniffling, trying to keep her tears from him. He turned his head and held out his hand. “Come here. Sit with me.” She walked around to him and sat close, he put his arm around her and she rested her head on his shoulder. “Talk to me darlin’.”  
“I’ve seen them before, you know that. It wasn’t what I saw that bothered me, it’s who they were.” She was full on crying at this point. She hadn’t cried once since the beginning of all this shit. She’d felt anger and loneliness, but not sadness. “They were a family. They loved each other. Can you imagine how hard it must have been for him to do that? To watch his family die at his own hands and then take his own life? The children, the baby. A baby Daryl! But they died together, as a family. If something had happened to me, I would have died alone; alone and angry.” He stood up and knelt on the floor in front of her. Placing one hand on her knee and one on her chin, he raised her face to meet his.  
“You are not alone. You will never be alone again. I know your anger. I’ve felt it before, I still feel it, but you and me, we gotta let go of it. We got each other now, and Rick, Carol, Hershel. I never had a real family, not like this, not like you did. Nobody ever loved me, cared about me, or protected me. I don’t even think my brother ever gave a shit about me. He just dragged me along with him wherever he went ‘cause he felt guilty ‘bout never being there when I was growing up. I never had a mom and dad like you did. I’ve been alone since I was born practically, but I’m not anymore. You’re not either. I care about you and I can’t lose you. I’m not expecting ya to say anything back. I know you’re still trying to figure that part out.” When Melissa was about to respond, they heard the front door open, telling them their companions had returned. Daryl place a chaste kiss on her lips and stood. “I’ll go downstairs and check in with everybody. You stay up here as long as you need to. Sleep a bit, might make ya feel better.”  
Glenn greeted him at the bottom of the stairs. “Hey man, how did it go?”  
“Everything was fine. Found a bunch of supplies. We’re gonna go back before we leave and get the rest.” They walked into the living room where Rick and Maggie were writing a list. “What ya planning for now?” he asked them.  
“We’re just trying to figure out what this place needs for us to live here. Where’s Melissa?” Rick asked.  
“She’s upstairs resting.”  
“Oh my god! Is she okay? Did something happen?” Maggie asked frantically.  
“She’s fine, just a little upset. We found a family in the first house we checked. Mom, dad, two little kids and a baby. Looked like the dad shot ‘em in the head then did himself. She’d never seen anything like that before. Bothered her quite a bit. Told her to get some sleep if she can.”  
“I’m gonna go check on her,” Maggie said and headed toward the stairs.  
“Don’t wake her up if she’s sleeping. She needs it.” Daryl told her.  
“Yes sir. I’m just gonna stick my head in the door. She means a lot to us too Daryl, just want to let her know were here if she needs us.”  
Maggie went to the door and knocked lightly, she could hear crying in the room. “Come in,” Melissa said. She was standing in front of the window again.  
“Hey sweetheart. How ya doing? Daryl told us what happened.”  
“I’m gonna be okay, thanks. I just never seen that before. Made me think of my family.”  
“If you want to talk about it, I’m here. You know that, right?”  
“Thanks. Never had anyone I could talk to before. It means a lot, but not right now, maybe tomorrow. How are you feeling? Still sick?”  
“No, not since this morning. I’m real tired though.” She paused and put her arms around her friend. “I’ll let you rest. Daryl will have my ass if you don’t get some sleep.”  
“Can’t sleep. Can’t get that picture out of my head. I’ll go back downstairs with you. If he wants to bitch, he can bitch to me. I think I can take it.” Melissa replied.  
“Yeah,” Maggie said, “I think ya can.”  
Daryl gave a hard look to the two woman as they descended the staircase. “What the hell are ya doing down here?” he asked, exasperated. “Thought I told ya to rest.”  
“Just can’t right now. Too much going on. I’ll be fine, just wanna help ya’ll make your plans. Maybe it will take my mind off of things.” Daryl nodded his head slightly and pulled a chair out for her to sit. Rick started the conversation back by asking Daryl about the box truck they had seen earlier.  
“It was gone when we got back. We should keep our profile low, but I’m sure they know we’re here. Just gotta hope they’re like us, just trying to find a place to live. Don’t think we should approach them though, just in case. Need to keep our guard up, they could be dangerous. Maybe tonight, after it gets dark, we could scout around by where that truck was. We’ll keep an eye out to see if it comes back, maybe we can see who they are.”  
“You’re right Daryl. We should stay inside till dark. Close up the windows and doors. If the truck comes back, we’ll arrange watch groups.” Rick, Daryl and Glen started boarding up the front and back doors and the windows, while Maggie and Melissa started putting dinner together. An hour later, the sun was beginning to set and Daryl made a fire, like he had before. This time, he and Melissa sat next to each other, so close their knees were touching. Dinner was a mostly silent affair, Maggie didn’t each much in fear the retching would return. Sometime during the meal, as the sun disappeared beyond the horizon, the box truck returned. Each member of the group grabbed a weapon and found a spot by a window and peered through the slats. The angle of sight was strained, but between the five of them, they saw a man get out of the driver’s side and two from the passenger’s. The two men from the passenger’s side looked rough, as if they had spent a considerable amount of time in the woods, but the man who had been driving looked very well put together. Even in the darkness they could tell he was wearing a nice pair of khaki pants and a button down shirt, as if he were coming home from a hard day at the office.  
They watched the men enter the house that the truck was parked in front of. They knew one of them had noticed the truck and bike because he was pointing in that direction and talking to the man who had been driving. When all three men had gone into the house and closed the door behind them, Rick spoke. “They saw the vehicles. I think we should just pack up what we can and leave tonight. We don’t know if they have more men in that house. We could be out numbered.”  
“They’ll hear the truck and definitely the bike. We don’t need to draw them out if we don’t have to,” Glenn said. They all looked to Daryl then, as if he shit magic out of his ass. He squeezed his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose.  
“We could go out on foot, scout around in the dark. See if we can get a look in the house. If their smart, they’ll have at least one person on watch. Try to avoid them. If we’re caught or seen, get the hell in the truck, I’ll follow up on the bike. By that time, noise won’t matter anyway. Get your weapons and any supplies you can carry on your person. We go in five.” As Melissa started to go upstairs, Daryl took her by the wrist. “You stay with me, don’t leave my sight, and don’t let me out of yours. Let’s grab what we can.”   
When she closed the bedroom door behind them, she asked, “I thought Rick was the almighty leader of this group? You sounded very authoritative back there Mr. Dixon.”   
As he threw stuff in his bag, he huffed out a laugh. “Rick thinks this ain’t a democracy no more. He wants to think we follow him blindly, and I guess, to a point we do, but most of the time, he comes to me for advice and answers. I don’t tell nobody, don’t want to make him look bad, but I’m more of a strategist than he is and he knows it. I just let everybody else think he’s the man making the decisions. I don’t think he knows what he’s doing really, not out here in this shit anyway. I do. I spent more time out in the woods and trying to survive than anything else my whole life. He trusts me, I don’t let him regret it.”  
“He’s lucky to have you. All those people would probably be dead by now if it weren’t for you. You find them food, shelter and protect them. You do that Daryl, not Rick. I’m grateful you’ve let me get to know you. Maybe some of your strategery will rub off on me.”  
“Stop it smartass. Just pack your bag so we can get the hell on with this shit.” Before they left the room, he handed her the flannel he had packed. “Put this on, it’ll protect your arms, not much, but it’s better than nothing.” As she buttoned the shirt, she looked around the room one last time.  
“I was looking forward to sleeping in that bed tonight.”  
“Me too darlin’. If we can clear these asshole out, and we get to come back and live here, I promise you we’ll have our own bed in our own house. I already got it picked out.”  
“Our house? You and me, together?”  
“Only if ya want that. Don’t want ya to feel uncomfortable. I’m probably not easy to live with.”  
“I’m sure I’m not either,” she said, “but I would love that.” She stood on her tip toes and kissed him hard. He snaked his arms around her waist and kissed her back with equal enthusiasm. “Bet the almighty leader is waiting on us,” she said as she tore herself away from him. They put their packs on their backs and walked out the door. Everyone was heading out the back when they got downstairs. Daryl held his crossbow up and ready as the group worked their way around the back of the house. Not knowing if they were being watched or listened to, he used signs to direct them where to go. When they got to the other occupied house, there were no lights on inside or out. Rick, Glenn and Maggie, being the larger of the two groups, approached the house, while Daryl and Melissa went to investigate the truck.  
The trio crept as stealthily as they were able up to the front of the house. All the curtains were closed and with the addition of no lights, they couldn’t see a thing. They managed to work their way around the side and into the back yard where the moonlight illuminated the area enough that they could see where they were going without falling and possibly bringing attention to themselves. Glenn and Maggie broke away from Rick and walked off into the yard to get a better look, while Rick continued to try and look inside the windows. While he stood contemplating his options, he suddenly felt the tip of a gun against the back of his head and heard it cock. “Put down your weapon,” said a deep, dark voice. “We were willing to let you and your people be, but now that you’ve tried to get in our business, can’t let ya’ll go. Let’s go get your friends over there, see what the Governor thinks we should do with you.”  
Daryl wasn’t too surprised to find the truck unlocked. He climbed in on the driver’s side, but there was nothing to be found, not even a map in the glove box. He got out and went around to the back where Melissa was waiting for him. “The back is unlocked too,” she said. “Sounds like there might be something in there, or someone. Didn’t want to open it until you came back. Didn’t want to do something stupid.”  
“Good girl,” he said, and put his hand on her shoulder. “I’ll open it up, you stand back.” She took about five steps back and unholstered her Beretta, aiming it at the back door of the truck. He counted down from three and yanked the door open. “Fuck! Run!” he screamed and grabbed her hand pulling her down the street toward his motorcycle. She scrambled to keep up with him and outrun the walkers that were falling from the back of the box truck.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daryl and Melissa run away

Chapter 17

Daryl drove the bike through the woods at breakneck speed for a good forty minutes before stopping. Melissa had almost fallen off half a dozen times during the ride and had been holding her breath the entire time, her mind racing with questions. Who were the men in that house? Why were they transporting walkers? Where were they taking them? Where were the others? Were they safe? She was shaken from her thoughts by Daryl who was snapping his fingers and clapping his hands in her face. “Come on woman. Stay focused. We gotta figure out where we are and where we’re going.”  
“What the FUCK was that back there? A fucking traveling side show of walkers? Who the fuck keeps walkers as pets?” Daryl put his hands on her shoulders and rubbed them briskly.  
“We gotta stay calm and quiet. Don’t know if there are any walkers out here. I don’t know what the fuck that was either darlin’. Never saw anything like that before in my life.” He looked around in the dark, only a waxing quarter moon for light. “We gotta find someplace to camp tonight. The bikes almost empty, we’ll have to hoof it for a while till I can get some gas for it, but we can hide it, in brush cover. You’ve slept in a tree before haven’t ya?”  
“Yes, but I’m too tired to climb a damn tree right now. Can’t I just fall on the ground and pass out?” He snickered at her comment, which made her crack a tried smile. He walked to his pack and took out two flashlights and handed one to her. “You help find enough wood for a small fire and I’ll let you do whatever you want. You can sleep, I’ll keep watch.”  
“Not a problem, sir, but you have to promise me that you’ll get some sleep too,” she said, before she yawned.   
“I promise. Now get to gathering. I’ll set up a place for ya to lay.” In ten minutes she had enough small limbs and branches to make a decent fire and Daryl had made her a bed with the poncho he had found a few weeks back. “It’s itchy as hell, but it’ll protect ya from the little nasties that crawl around.”  
“I’m not afraid of the little ones, it’s the big ones that scare me,” she said and lay on the poncho pulling one side around her body. Before he sat by the fire, Daryl went to the bike and took out a few of the unfinished bolts he had stashed in the saddlebag. Thankfully, the only noise was the crickets and owls and the occasional pop of the campfire. “Do you think they got out Daryl? Do you think they’re alive and safe?”  
“Don’t know if they got out or not, but I’m sure they’re safe wherever they are.”  
“What makes you so sure?” she asked.  
He didn’t say anything for a minute. He thought about the farm, the night the herd came through. He thought about losing Dale and Andrea, he also thought about what they still had, who they still had. “One night, when we was on Hershel’s farm, a big herd came through. Had to have been a few hundred of them. Bastards took down his whole barn. Anyway, everybody stood fast, we were gonna defend it. Hershel wasn’t gonna let them run him off his land, but in the end, we ran, always do. Everybody scattered, we was all separated from each other, and nobody knew where anybody else was. All of us who were able to make it out, met back on the highway where we’d broke down, same place we lost Sophia.” He had a forlorn, lost look in his eyes when he said her name and bit of melancholy on his lips. “Little by little, everybody showed up, well everybody that made it out alive anyway. Rick and Carl made it out with Herschel, Maggie and Glenn were together, I had Carol on the bike and Lori and Beth were with T-Dog. We lost him a couple weeks ago, right before we found the cabin.”  
“So you think we’re gonna find ‘em, or they’ll find us? Is there somewhere you know they’d go?”  
“Not around here. Don’t know the area well enough. If they got out, they’re wondering around, just like us. Get some sleep. I’ll make sure nothing happens to ya. I’ll keep ya safe.”  
“I know ya will, but remember you promised me you’d get some sleep too. Wake me up in a few hours and I’ll take over.”  
“I know what I done. Just close your eyes. I’ll wake ya in a bit.”  
Three hours later, he moved the poncho aside and crawled into the makeshift sleeping bag with her. He curled his arm around her and buried his face in her hair. His movements stirred her from sleep and she stretched her body in his arms. “Is it my turn?” she said sleepily.  
“Yeah, but can we just lay here for a couple minutes?”  
“Well, okay, but you’re falling asleep and I could definitely go back to sleep. If I don’t get up that just means an all you can eat buffet for whatever comes around.”  
“Fine,” he huffed and removed his arm. She turned herself to face him.   
“Thank you for keeping watch and letting me sleep. Now it’s my turn to watch for you and keep you safe.” She twisted her body to stand up, but was quickly brought back down by Daryl’s hand which he had attached to her face. He brought her close and whispered, “My protector,” and kissed her slow and sweet. Eventually she left him lying in the poncho like a burrito and went to sit by the fire. She stayed alert and kept her eyes and ears open for any movement or sound. There was only one disturbance during her watch, a lone walker who she heard before she saw. Once she determined the direction it was coming from, she stood and waited for it to make its grand entrance. She hadn’t seen one this decayed before and was shocked for a moment, but quickly and efficiently disposed of the walker. The rest of the night was spent watching Daryl sleep. He looked so beautiful and young, the age and worry lines gone from his face. His lips were parted slightly and she watched his chest rise and fall as he breathed. She was falling in love with him and that scared the shit out of her.  
As the sky grew lighter and the sun began to peek over the horizon, she moved from her spot beneath the tree and sat in front of the Daryl burrito. She knew he would want her to wake him so they could get an early start on whatever they were doing today. She reached over slowly and traced his cheekbone with her fingertips. He moaned contently and shifted slightly, taking her wrist firmly in his hand. He pulled her down to lay on him and gave her a slow, lazy kiss. “Good morning sweetheart,” he said sleepily and opened his eyes.   
“Good morning to you too,” she replied and smiled shyly. “I’m sorry to wake you up, but I thought you’d want to get an early start on whatever we’re doing today.” She leaned back as he sat up.  
“I think we should kill some breakfast first. We each got some cans in our bag, but we’ll need some meat too. We can start looking for the others after, if ya want.”  
“Okay, are we gonna leave the bike here?  
“Yeah, for now. I hid it pretty good. Hopefully the only things roaming ‘round here are walkers and they ain’t got no use for it. I know where it is. We’ll look for some gas while we’re out today.” He stood up and took a water bottle out of his pack. He handed it to Melissa after taking a big swig and grabbed the crossbow and his knife and walked further into the woods.  
“Hold up! I’ll go with ya!” she yelled as she saw him walk away. “We can get more with both of us out there.” He stopped and walked back to her setting the crossbow on the ground.  
“No, you’re gonna stay here. It won’t take long, won’t need to get that much.”  
“You don’t want me to go?”  
“It’s not that. I just wanna take a few minutes, get my head on straight. I gotta put a plan together if we’re gonna look for everybody. I just need to think about it for a while. I don’t want ya to think that I don’t want ya with me. It’s just that I’ve tracked people before, and the last time didn’t end too well.” He paused for a moment. “I just don’t want to fuck this up. I’m gonna find ‘em, we’re gonna find ‘em. Why don’t ya make a fire while I’m gone, so it’ll be ready to go when I get back. The less time it takes for that the more time we can spend searching.’  
“Okay, I can make a fire. You hunt and gather, bring back food. I’ll pack all out stuff while I’m at it. Just be careful.”  
“I always am. Don’t set the woods on fire before I get back,” he said tentatively testing the waters of her mood. She walked away from him and held up her middle finger, “Get outta here asshole.” She turned around and smiled at him as she said it. While he was gone, she gathered fresh sticks and branches to make the fire, rolled up the poncho and re-organized the packs. All she could do now was worry about the others, and wonder where all the walkers had gone to. She started thinking about Daryl. She sat by the fire for an hour until he got back, making her own plans.  
Daryl was sitting on a tree stump thinking about what had happened back at the development. He had three squirrels hooked to his belt, enough for breakfast and a small lunch, so he took a break to think. He couldn’t figure out why the walkers were in that truck. The men in that house had captured them, but why? What did anyone need a truck full of walkers for? He thought about his search for Sophia, trying to figure out what he had done wrong. He had done everything he had been taught to do, everything that made sense. He finally decided that they should work their way back to that neighborhood. It might not be the best way to conduct the search, but maybe they would find them there, or meet up with them on the way. Then he thought of Melissa. He was glad he had her with him, glad she had stayed close as he asked. He didn’t think he would have been able to open his eyes this morning if she hadn’t been there. He never imagined he would want to be so close to a woman in his life, but just knowing she was here with him gave him the strength and confidence to look for the others. If it had been just him, alone, he wouldn’t consider it. He would have wondered around aimlessly. He always thought he would have been better by himself, but he was wrong. Now that he had Melissa in his life, he never wanted to be alone again. He was falling in love with her, and it wasn’t as scary as he thought it would be.  
The fire was ready when he returned with the squirrels. It took them no time to get them ready and on the fire. Daryl told her his plan as they ate and she agreed that if was a good one. She had her own plan in her head now and would work on it during their journey. When they were finished, Daryl put the leftovers in his bag and made sure the bike was concealed and the fire extinguished, then they took off. They took to hunting along the way, each time one eyed something edible, Daryl would take a shot. Within the first two hours, they each had a string of four squirrels on their belts. He held her hand on and off during their walk and at one point, he even put his arm around her shoulders. They decided to stop for lunch when they found a small creek in the shade of a line of oak trees. Daryl divided the last of their breakfast and Melissa filled the water bottles from the cool running stream.  
They sat so close to each other, their arms and legs touched. They didn’t speak to each other, but enjoyed the comfortable silence and the closeness of their bodies. When she was done, Melissa began to lick her fingers clean. Daryl eyed her as she gently sucked the taste of the squirrel from her fingers. He imagined what it would look like if her mouth were around his dick instead. He gently took her hand away from her mouth and brought it to his. He wrapped his lips around each of her slim digits and moved his tongue around the tip slowly. He could taste the squirrel along with her skin. He wanted to taste more of her skin, more of her. He leaned over pulling her onto his lap and kissed her hungrily. With both hands fisting her hair, he pushed his tongue inside her mouth. She moaned as his tongue ravaged hers, she felt him hard against her as she straddled him and involuntarily began rubbing herself on his erection. His mouth left hers and trailed down her neck, where he began to lightly suck at the vulnerable flesh. She continued to moan and move against him and it was driving him insane. He was unbearably hard now and sucked harder on her neck and put his hands on her breasts and squeezed. When he realized that he was about to cum, he freaked out and pushed her off him and onto the ground, then he ran into the woods like a madman.  
Melissa landed right on her ass bone and cried out from the shock. She didn’t realize what had happened until she saw angel wings disappear through the trees. Oh God, she thought, what had she done? She scared him off. What a stupid idiot! She wouldn’t be able to face him ever again and they were stuck together until they could find the others. Shit, that was if he even came back. What if he was running all the way back to the campsite? She couldn’t make herself move if she tried, she just sat on the ground where she landed and cried.  
Daryl ran as fast as he could through the trees to get as far away from the creek as he could. He couldn’t believe that he was about to cum in his pants like a damn kid, and just from making out too, and the way she moved her hips and the taste of her skin. He fell to his knees on a pile of leaves and practically ripped his pants open. He pumped himself hard and fast the minute his cock hit the open air. It didn’t take long, about five strokes and he erupted all over his hand. He sat there panting, trying to even his breathing. He had never been that aroused in his life, he had never felt that kind of desire before. Before her, his beautiful songbird, who he found by accident, but who he was attracted to from the first moment he laid his eyes on her. There had never been a woman who could do these things to him, and he loved her, beyond a shadow of a doubt. He loved the woman who did this to him.  
He got back to the creek about ten minutes later and found her, sitting in the same spot that he had unceremoniously dropped her with her face in her hands, shaking uncontrollably. He ran to her, falling to his knees in front of her. “Melissa, are you okay? What happened? Are you hurt?” She couldn’t lift her face to look at him and she couldn’t speak for crying, so she shook her head. “Tell me what happened. Did I hurt you? I’m so sorry.” He moved to put his arms around her and pull her into his chest, but she flinched when he touched her. “Oh God. Did I go too far? Did I scare you? You just have to tell me baby, tell me to stop and I will. I ain’t never gonna force anything on ya, ya gotta believe me.”  
“No Daryl, ya didn’t hurt me. I’m just sorry that I scared ya. I didn’t mean to make you run away from me. I told ya I didn’t know how to do this, now I messed everything up.” He pulled her hands away from her face.  
“Look at me Melissa.” She didn’t, so he put his fingers on her chin and lifted it. “Listen to me. Ya didn’t scare me, if anything, I scared myself. I haven’t done anything like that, ever. I never had anyone make me feel like that. No one has ever made me feel like you make me feel. Hell, you almost made me cum in my pants. That’s why I ran off. That shit’s embarrassing and I didn’t want you to freak out.”  
Her eyes blinked rapidly, trying to prevent more tears from falling. “I did that? That was because of me? I’ve never done that before, never thought I could make anyone feel . . . “  
“Good. You made me feel good, so fucking good. I want to make you feel that too, when you’re ready.” He looked at her eyes, bashfulness in them now. “We should get going, maybe a couple more hours then head back to camp okay. We’ll head out towards the highway, look for a gas station or some abandoned cars, and see what we can get.” He kissed her forehead, then her lips softly and turned to grab the bags.   
They reached the highway in about an hour. Neither one knew where they were. They hadn’t seen a road sign or landmark yet, but there was an abandoned Shell gas station at the end of the street on the corner. There were a few vehicles parked there and it looked as if the place had doubled as a mechanics shop. Daryl was excited, “We should be able to find some gas, maybe some tools or something.” When they reached the station, they saw a few gas cans of various sizes lying around on the ground. “We’ll fill as much as we can, then check inside, see if there’s anything left. Then we can head back.” There were three cars, and all were beaten to a pulp. Two were missing all the doors and tires, while the third was an accordion. Daryl siphoned as much gas as he could, which filled one of the larger containers half way. It would be enough to get them out of the woods and halfway to the development.  
Melissa was looking around cautiously while Daryl was collecting the gasoline. She had her knives up and ready as she walked the perimeter. She saw a few walkers in the distance, coming from the opposite direction. They were moving at a slow pace and hadn’t noticed them at all. When she turned the corner of the building to look around the back, she saw something she thought she recognized, but from this distance, she wasn’t sure. She walked around the back to get a better look, but the view was partially blocked by trees. She continued her trek around the building until she came around the other side where Daryl was finishing up with the gas. “I think I may know where we are,” she said quietly.  
“Oh really? Where do you think we are?” he asked with a smartass smirk on his face.  
“I think this is the town where my parents grew up, but I won’t know for sure until I see what that is,” she said and pointed above the gas station roof. “Can you see what that sign says from here?”  
Daryl squinted his eyes into the sun. “Nope. Gonna have to get closer. Sun’s coming from that direction and it looks faded anyway. Wanna go now or wait till after we check this place out? Won’t have time to get much if we wait.”  
“I need to go now. If it’s what I think it is, there’s an old caretakers house on the grounds. If it gets too late, we can stay there, maybe find some stuff. If not, we can always come back here in the morning before we head back.” Her eyes were quietly begging him to say yes, and he couldn’t say no to her.  
“Alright, we’ll check it out. Should be able to tell what it is before we get there. If it’s not what you think it is, we can turn around and come back.” She smiled at him, relieved that he had agreed. She would have gone alone if she had to, but wanted him there with her.  
Sure enough, they hadn’t gone too far when the old, faded and crooked sign became easier to see. Daryl knew she could see it, and that it was the place she thought it was, because her steps suddenly became faster. “Hold up! Don’t run off and leave me. If I run too fast this bow’s gonna bruise me up good.” She stopped in her tracks and waited patiently for him to catch up. When he did, she grabbed his hand excitedly. “There’s some people I’d like you to meet” she said as they passed under the sign that said: Woodlawn Cemetery.  
She could have found their spot blindfolded, but had some difficulty navigating the path of overgrown grass. It was up to her knees and they were having to take big, lumbering steps to avoid tripping over the gravestones. She stopped abruptly and fell to her knees, ripping grass from the dirt and throwing it around. When the area was clear, she wiped the remaining dirt and grass away with her hands. “Daryl, I want you to meet my parents,” she said without turning around. He came up behind her and looked over her shoulder. He almost fell flat on his ass when he saw the date of death.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Revelation and smut

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry this is late. Life is overwhelming right now. For those who are waiting for the final chapter of Not Desperate, I have rewritten it twice so far. Hopefully it will be posted soon. Please enjoy, and no rock throwing please. *runs and hides*

Chapter 18

 

They spent a good hour in front of that grave marker, Melissa talking to them the whole time. She introduced them, actually introduced them, as if he didn’t already painfully know who they were. He never met them, but was well aware of who they were. As the sun descended into the horizon, he mentioned to her that maybe they should find that grounds keeper’s house before it got too dark, something about not wanting to be caught after dark in a field of dead people that ain’t took a bullet to the brain yet. She sighed heavily when he said that, but knew he was right. He stood and took her hand to help her up. She unconsciously took his hand in hers and entwined their fingers together as she led him away He was feeling mighty uncomfortable now, and guilty. Seemed he always had something to feel guilty about in his life, but he was thinking that this may be the worst he’s ever felt it.  
As they approached the house, which looked more like a rickety old shack to him, he let go of her hand and unshouldered his crossbow. “He have family or it just him? We need to know how many we should be looking for.”  
“Just him, I think. Didn’t see much of him. I came here a lot right after they died, then just on birthdays and anniversaries. I haven’t been here in almost three years.”  
“Alright, get your knives out. We’re gonna do this by the book. I‘ll knock on the door and windows. You stay back till I tell ya.”  
“Sure thing boss,” she said a little defeated by his authoritative tone. She stood at the bottom of the porch steps while he did his thing, and within a minute what at one time was the caretaker, slammed into the front window. He motioned for Melissa to join him by the door and he opened it slowly, walking in first. Daryl sunk a bolt in its ear before it could turn around. She hovered behind him and he motioned for her to check the place out while he took the twice dead corpse outside. There were no other walkers, so she looked into the different rooms. She found a bathroom, a bedroom, and the kitchen. She heard the door close when Daryl came back in.  
“I’ll find some tools and dig a hole for him. He dug for everybody else, deserves to have one done for him.” She crossed the room and stood in front of him.  
“That’s a nice thought Daryl, and a very kind act. I can help you, but later okay? We should get these squirrels skinned and cooking first, then we can take care of him, while it’s cooking.”  
“Yeah, we can do that,” he said, trying to avoid eye contact. She put her arms around his neck and leaned up on her tiptoes to kiss him, but he reached up and removed her arms from him and walked away into the bathroom. She was a little surprised, and tried not to be hurt by his actions hoping that maybe he was just tired.  
Daryl took a quick piss and put the lid down. He sat there for a while with his face buried in his hands. He didn’t know what to do, which wasn’t an unusual thing for him to feel, but this was different. He was desperate for an answer and wished Rick or Carol was there to give him one. This could destroy whatever they had. It could undo everything they had built up between them, and he didn’t think he could handle that. She would hate him more than anyone else ever had. Maybe she didn’t have to know, if he could keep this secret to himself things could be okay. Who was he kidding, even if he could keep her from finding out, just having that knowledge would tear him apart. It already was.  
When he walked back into the kitchen, she already had the squirrels ready for skinning and gutting. She gave him an uneasy smile as he sat down across from her. They did they job without speaking to each other, and trying not to look at one another. When it was done, she got up from the table and grabbed a plastic bowl she had found in the cabinet and put the meat in it. She handed another one to Daryl for the skin and guts, and they walked outside together. There was a pile of wood on the side of the shack and he used it to make a fire. Once the meat was cooking, he took a shovel he found and handed a pick to Melissa. They dug a shallow grave and laid the man to rest. Daryl put the bowl containing the skin and guts in with him. He knew it was probably disrespectful, but the old man wouldn’t know the difference, and that shit needed to be buried anyway. When the meat was done, Melissa took it inside while Daryl extinguished the fire. She had already started eating when he came back in. They sat together eating in silence again. She was really worried now. He hadn’t even as much as smiled at her since they came into the cemetery.  
“Do you not like cemeteries Daryl, or is something else wrong?” she asked, half afraid of what his answer would be.  
“Naw, it’s not my favorite place to be, but its fine. You needed to be here, so we’re here. I’m just tired.”  
“Okay, but it seems to be more than that. I don’t know if I did anything wrong or not but I like the way things are between us now and I don’t want it to go back to the way it was. I don’t want to do this by myself anymore, not without you.” She reached her hand out to his and he let her take it.  
“I don’t either sweetheart. I can’t imagine going through this without you, and you didn’t do a damn thing wrong. I just . . . . I guess I just feel. . . . I don’t know. I haven’t been in a cemetery since my momma was buried. I never went back to see her. Guess I just feel bad about that.”  
“I don’t know why ya didn’t go see her, and it’s none of my business, but I know she loved you and I’m sure she would have understood. It was probably beyond your control.”  
“Yeah,” he said and finally looked at her, “it was.” She let go of his hand and took the bowl they had been eating from and put it in the sink. He was still looking at her when she turned back around to face him, a mask of desperation on his face. “Do you still miss your folks?”  
“Yes,” she said and sat back down, “but not as much as I used to. I know them dying really did a number on me, and I’m still dealing with those issues, obviously, but it’s not their deaths I’m dealing with anymore. It’s the choices I made as a result of it.” Daryl nodded his head in response. “Come on, you’re tired, I’m tired, let’s go to bed. You’ll feel better in the morning.” He nodded his head again and followed her into the bedroom. He took off his vest and boots and considered removing his pants too, but thought that would get him into trouble. He climbed into bed wearing his pants and t-shirt and watched Melissa get ready and climb in wearing only her bra and panties. He held his arm out to her and she snuggled against his chest.  
“I really liked what we did earlier, at the creek. Do you think we could do that again?” she asked him in the dark. He reached his other arm around her body and pulled her on top of him. Weaving his hand through her long, dark hair, he pulled her face to his. He knew now that once she knew the truth, she would never let him touch her again. And damn if he wasn’t going to touch her as much as he could until that happened.  
“We can do anything you want Melissa.” A shiver went down her spine from the way he said her name, deep and full of lust. His kiss was as hungry and desperate as it had been earlier. He ran his wet lips over hers and played with her tongue eliciting sighs and moans from them both. He moved his hands to her shoulders and kneaded them, pushing a finger under each bra strap. He sat up and moved his lips to her neck, licking and sucking. She began to grind against him like she had before and it made him hard again. Her breath hitched when she felt him grow against her inner thigh. His fingers continued rubbing her shoulder under her straps and he whispered in her ear, “Can I take this off?” She didn’t answer him, but put her hands behind her back and unhooked it herself. She was so out of her mind that she did it without thinking, without feeling scared or embarrassed. She needed his hands and mouth on her and everything else was an afterthought.  
He pulled the straps down her arms, kissing the spots where they had laid against her skin. He lifted his head when he removed the cups from her breasts and stared as they were revealed to him. He took his eyes away and looked at her face, cupping her cheeks in his hands. “You are so fucking beautiful, most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen in my life.” He gently pushed her until she was laying on her back. He climbed on top of her moving her legs apart and settled between them. “If you need me to stop, I will, you just have to tell me. I don’t want to do anything you’re not ready for, and I don’t want to hurt you.”  
“I just want you to touch me, make me feel good, like you told me you would.” He leaned over her and lapped at her nipple, rubbing the other with his thumb. She gasped at his touch and palmed the back of his head to hold him in place. He had always been a breast man, didn’t really know why, just that the Big Jugs magazines that Merle had under his mattress were his favorite. He’d sneak off with it whenever he was gone and eventually just kept them in his room. Merle always bought the new issues anyway. He switched breasts, not wanting to risk ignoring any part of her. He squeezed and kneaded with his hand, flicking his thumb across her hardened nipple and lavished the other with his tongue and lips. He felt as though he was losing consciousness, he could only feel her body beneath him, and could only hear her soft moans which eventually became his name over and over again like a litany.  
“Fuck Daryl. God that feels so good. Don’t stop, please,” she begged him, and he didn’t want to stop, but he wanted more than this. He was pretty sure she had never had an orgasm and that was the goal for tonight, to hear her say his name as she came in his mouth.  
“You like this baby?” he said in between licks and sucks. “Does this make you feel good? Tell me how it feels to have my mouth on ya.” She groaned when he spoke, his mouth, his hands, and feeling his big cock against her leg was getting to be too much, but she still wanted more.  
“My heart is beating too fast, I can’t breathe. God! I never thought anything could feel this good. I need more, please!” Daryl didn’t say anything, just moved his hands down her sides to her hips and grabbed them tightly. His mouth moved to the valley between her breasts and kissed its way down the expanse of her ribcage and stomach. He felt her muscles flutter as he worked his way down. He dipped his fingers under the waistband of her panties and rubbed circles in the skin there. His cock was throbbing and leaking inside its denim cage. He didn’t want a repeat of this afternoon, he wasn’t going to leave her unfulfilled again. He lifted his face from her body and began to tug at her panties. She froze when she realized what was happening.  
“Don’t be afraid baby. I’m gonna make you feel good, just as good as you made me feel. Just lay back, let me taste you.” She did lay back and he stood up pulling her body around to where her legs hung off the side. He knelt before her and rubbed his palms up and down her thighs before pushing them apart slowly. “Tell me you want this. Tell me what you want me to do to you.”  
She groaned loudly. “I don’t know Daryl,” she whined. “Just do what you’re supposed to do. I want this please. Do it and stop dicking around about it.” He chuckled and hooked his hand under her thighs.  
“I’m gonna make you cum baby and I want to hear you scream my name when you do.”  
“Yes! Anything Daryl please. I want to cum.”  
“Alright baby. Just take a deep breath.” He propped her feet on his shoulders and leaned into her. His mouth watered, she smelled so sweet and he just knew she would taste like honey. He licked her from top to bottom with the flat on his tongue. She gasped loudly and her body shook. Daryl’s dick throbbed at the sound and he wrapped his lips around her clit. He gently massaged it before sucking it and pulling off. He couldn’t get enough of her, she was dripping wet and he lapped her up. He flicked his tongue against her slowly, but increased his speed when her breathing quickened and she writhed on the bed. She chanted his name over and over again. He moved his tongue to her entrance and moved it in and out of her while rubbing figure eights on her clit with his thumb.  
“Harder Daryl, rub me harder,” she commanded him and he obeyed. The harder he rubbed and the faster he fucked her with his tongue the wetter she became. He knew she was close. She was getting louder and begging him to let her cum. He removed his mouth from her, but kept his hand here it was.  
“Cum for me baby, just let go. I want ya to scream for me, let those dumb bastards outside know whose making ya cum.” He latched back onto her pussy and she screamed louder than she ever had in her life. “Daryl! Oh my god! Daryl! Yes!” He had never made a woman scream his name before and hearing it took him to the edge. It took all his strength and will not to cum. He continued to lick and suck up her juices until she lay still and quiet. He was about to bust a nut, but instead he gently lowered her legs and stood up. He looked down at her body, naked and sprawled out in front of him. He remembered seeing her at the brook washing herself. He thought she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, but this . . . this was magnificent. Her voluptuous breasts and body covered in a thin sheen of sweat, her chest rising and falling as her breathing evened out. This is the most magnificent thing he has ever gazed upon. His whole life he never imagined that he could have a woman like this, women didn’t like him in general. They only gave him the time of day when they were drunk, high, or needed drugs from Merle. This woman wanted him, had begged him to touch her and he loved her more than he had ever loved anything, even his brother. He couldn’t let this end without feeling her touch. She slowly opened her eyes and looked up at him sleepily and smiled.  
“I thought I was gonna explode,” she said and scooted up the bed a bit. Daryl climbed in next to her and laid on his back, his erection painful now and desperate for release.  
“You did explode baby. You did so good.” He turned on his side and propped his head up on his palm, his other hand cupping her full breast. He was suddenly nervous. He needed to cum and he was barely holding his shit together. He wanted her to touch him, make him cum, but he didn’t know how to ask her.  
“Can I touch you?” she said suddenly and relief washed over him. “I don’t know what to do, or how to do it, but I want to touch you.”  
“Yes, baby please,” he said. “I’ll show you what to do.” He started to push his pants down his legs, but she stopped him and did it herself. She was so nervous her hands were shaking. He held them still between his own. “Don’t be scared baby. I’m so close it ain’t gonna take much. Ain’t no way in hell you’re gonna get it wrong.” Once his pants were pushed down his erection sprang forth like a jack in the box. He was commando, as per his usual these days. Melissa had only seen pictures in the textbooks at school, which looked disgusting, but this was a work of art. He was long and thick, but not grotesquely so, and the head was leaking like a fountain. She couldn’t take her eyes off him. She briefly wondered how something that size would fit inside her, but was torn from that thought when Daryl placed her hand on the base of his cock. She instinctively wrapped her fingers around it and squeezed, forcing a long, deep growl from his chest. His eyes were shut tight and he didn’t see the proud smile that graced her face knowing that she made him do that. He put his hand over hers and moved it up and down his shaft. She loved the feel of him in her hand, silk skin and hard muscle. He showed her the pace he liked and how to rub the head with the palm of her hand as she passed over it. He was much closer than he had imagined because it only took half a dozen strokes until he exploded all over his hand and hers. “Fuck, Melissa! I’m cumming! God baby! Yes!” He tightened his grip on her hand and kept her movements steady as he worked through his orgasm. He finally released his grip on her and struggled to regulate his breathing. She didn’t move away from him, just watched his chest rise and fall rapidly and his cock soften. Ten minutes later, his eyes opened and he smiled.  
“I thought you fell asleep,” she giggled. “Don’t men do that after?”  
He laughed, “Yeah, sometimes. I thought I was gonna.” He put his hand on her cheek. “Goddamn woman, I never felt anything like that before. That was the most amazing thing I’ve ever experienced. Thank you.”  
“I didn’t do anything. You were doing it, just using my hand for it. You feel incredible though. Didn’t think it would feel like that . . . so soft. Anyway, you don’t need to thank me. I never thought I would ever find a man who wanted to touch me. I was always too weird, crazy, ugly or fat. I didn’t believe a man would ever want to do anything like that with me, but you did. I think I want you to do that to me every day. I don’t want to lose you, I can’t lose you.”  
“You won’t ever lose me. I ain’t going nowhere. You are as close to perfect I’ve ever known. I want to do so much more with you. This is just the beginning Melissa, I can’t imagine not having you with me now. I can’t lose you either.” He kissed her sweetly and rearranged them in the bed under the sheets. She laid her head on his chest and he held her in his arms.  
“Could you sing to me?” he asked her quietly. Her soft, angelic voice carried through the room and into his head. He closed his eyes and relaxed his body, still holding her close.

 

He woke up before her the next morning, his arms still around her. He felt strangely at ease lying there with her. He’d never slept with a woman before, actually slept. He’d never shared a bed with anyone but Merle. Waking up with a beautiful woman was an amazing feeling, but it was marred by his guilt. If he told her the truth, he would lose her. If he didn’t tell her, and she found out somehow anyway, she would still hate him for not telling her. He would lose her regardless of his decision, and he would rather be honest with her, than have this guilt eat away at him.  
She stirred slowly in his arms and opened one eye looking up at him. “Good morning,” she said, her voice rough and full of sleep. To Daryl, it sounded sexy and inviting and it made him want her. It made him want to fuck her, in an actual sense.  
“Good morning baby. How do you feel?” She pushed herself off him and leaned in to kiss him. “I feel good. How do you feel?”  
“I feel happy,” he said. It wasn’t a complete lie. Waking up with her did make him happy. The rest . . . well . . . . when her lips landed on his, he forgot the rest. The passion and lust he felt last night came rushing back and he held her face in his hands as their lips and tongues moved together. She pulled away with a smile.  
“There’s some squirrel left if you’re hungry. I can get it for you. I found some canned fruit in the cabinet too.”  
“Sounds delicious. I’ll grab some supplies while you’re doing that. I saw some stuff in the bathroom last night and I’ll check the closet and dresser.”  
“Alright,” she said and climbed out of the bed, not remembering until then that she was completely naked. She jumped off the bed quickly and nosedived onto the floor to pick up her clothes. She covered her body with them as she walked to the door.  
“You don’t have to hide from me, ya know. I’ve seen you in the daylight, remember?” he said as he stood from the bed, naked himself from the waist down.  
She gave him an embarrassed smile, her face blushed. “I’ll stop hiding if you do. You never took off your shirt,” she said and went into the bathroom to dress. She was right, he never took off his shirt. No one had ever seen his back, not Merle, not anybody. Except for that time at the farm when he’d fallen down that ravine with an arrow in his side, he had never taken his shirt off in front of anyone. He was scared of what people would think, or say. He didn’t want pity for this. He was proud that he had survived his childhood, but that didn’t mean he wanted to share it with the world. She had let him see her body last night, a body he knew she didn’t like. It was a conscious decision made from trust. She faced her fears and let him see her, all of her. He owed her the same. She had the right to know about that too.  
He found two duffle bags in the bottom of the closet and quickly went through the drawers. He threw in socks, t-shirts, and a pack of boxer briefs than were unopened. The closet had a couple pair of jeans and two rifles. He found a handgun and ammo in the nightstand drawer along with two boxes of condoms and a Bible. At least this guy had his priorities straight. He went into the bathroom and threw in soap, deodorant, shampoo, a couple razors and shave cream. He also found triple antibiotic ointment, band aids (with Hello Kitty on them, what the fuck?) and gauze wrap. He threw in some towels and wash clothes too. He hauled the bag into the front room and went into the kitchen Melissa had already divided up the meat and opened two cans of fruit cocktail. Daryl hated that shit, but who was he gonna complain to? He told her about all the stuff he found and that maybe they could find a place where a lady had lived and find some stuff for her.  
“That would be awesome, but right now we should be thinking about how we’re gonna get this stuff back to camp. We got our rucksacks, the gas can, and now these two big duffels.”  
We’ll find a way,” he told her. “There has to be a truck around here somewhere. I don’t think the old man carried all the tools around in his arms.”  
“Can we stop back by on our way out? I just want to say goodbye before we leave?” Daryl did not want to see that grave stone ever again. It was etched into his brain for all eternity, he didn’t need to see it with his eyes.  
“Sure, let’s try to find that truck so we can load everything up, then we can drive out that way. ‘Sides, don’t think it’s safe to walk through all that tall grass if we don’t have to. Ticks are a bitch.” Melissa agreed and threw the empty cans and plastic bowl in a trash can by the defunct stove.  
They didn’t have to walk far before they found the work shed. The door had a padlock on it, but was rotted all the way through, so Daryl just leaned on it hard and it fell open. There was a blue Chevy Silverado extended cab and a backhoe. Today was their lucky day. The keys to the truck were laying on the passenger’s side seat and the doors were unlocked. He quickly grabbed a couple of shovels and threw them in the bed before getting in and starting her up. She not only had a full tank, but also a half full gas can behind the driver’s side seat. He backed out through the garage door opening in the back of the shed and drove back to the shack. Daryl found bungee cord inside the center console and used it to tie up everything in the bed. At the last minute, he had an idea and went back into the bedroom. He pulled the sheets and blanket off the bed and grabbed the pillows. He stuffed it all in the backseat and yelled for Melissa to get her ass in the truck. She came out carrying more cans and boxes of food. Thank god she remembered, his mind had been on other things.  
They stopped at her parent’s grave site on their way out, just as he had promised, but he stayed in the truck. He was trying to decide how to tell her, but realized that his delivery didn’t matter, it was the message that was so important. She jumped back in the truck after twenty minutes and they took off. “Do you still want to stop at the Shell? We’ve got room for more stuff now,” she asked as he took a right out of the cemetery.  
“Yeah, we can do that, but I don’t want to stay long. I’d like to find that creek again, maybe wash up a bit.”  
“Oh god, that would be great!” she said excitedly. They knew the place was clear of walkers on the outside, but they hadn’t ventured inside, so with weapons drawn, they descended on the convenience store. No one came to the door after Daryl banged on it a few times with his crossbow. The door wasn’t locked but stuck. It took both of them to push the door open and when they did, they stumbled through and almost landed on their asses. He caught her around the waist to keep her from falling.  
“I got ya,” he said and pulled her back to his chest. “I always got ya.” He kissed the back of her neck and then let go of her. “You take the right side of the store, I’ll look over on this side.” He went behind the counter first, finding another rifle and handgun. God bless the south, where everybody exercised their second amendment rights. He grabbed a few cartons of cigarettes, some Zippos and lighter fluid, along with gum and an old Polaroid instant camera he found on the floor. Turning around, he found some packs of instant film for it and grabbed them too.  
Melissa found some goodies for herself as well. Boxes of pads and tampons, baby wipes and a lone bottle of perfume. It was a knock off brand, but it didn’t matter, it would help with the stink anyway. As she was leaving the last aisle, she found condoms and discreetly put a couple of boxes in her in her bag. She threw in some lube too. After what she had seen last night, she thought it might help. Her mind was elsewhere as she walked out of the aisle and in front of the end cap. She didn’t notice the decaying hand that reached out for her from beneath the display. She screamed when she felt a hand grab her by the ankle and was so startled she fell to the ground. The walker, or crawler in this case, used her as leverage to pull its rotting torso out from under the shelves. She scrambled to get away and completely forgot about the knife on her hip. When Daryl heard her scream, he jumped over the counter and started looking around screaming her name. “Melissa! Where are you?” She couldn’t really form proper words in her brain, so she screamed again when she heard his voice. He found her on the floor trying to kick the thing off her. He rammed the butt of his crossbow through its skull and stomped on its arm to get it to release her. He fell to his knees and pulled her up into his arms. She wasn’t crying, but she was shaking violently. “Hush darlin’. Everything’s okay. It’s gone, it ain’t got you no more. I got ya, just like I said.” He helped her to her feet and picked her up bridal style because her legs were shaking so bad, she could hardly stand. He took her outside and put her in the truck. “I’m gonna go back in and get our bags. You wait right here. I’ll be right back.” He kissed her quickly and ran back inside the store. When he came back out, he threw the bags in the backseat and climbed in. She had calmed down a little, but her hands were still shaking. He didn’t really know what to do or say, but he scooted closer to her and put an arm around her shoulder.  
“That’s the second time you’ve had to save me because I was an idiot.”  
“You’re not an idiot, ya just didn’t think to look down. I didn’t either. Ya know how many times I almost got my ass chewed off because I wasn’t paying attention? More than I can count. I know ya got a lot on your mind, I do too, but you’re safe and you’re with me, so ya gotta calm down. You’re gonna make me a nervous wreck if ya don’t.”  
“Okay, you’re right, as always. Let’s just find that creek. I really need a bath” she said trying to smile at him.  
“I ain’t always right, just about this.” He kissed her forehead and scooted back behind the wheel. “I could use a bath too. I grabbed some towels from the bathroom at the groundskeepers place, and some men’s clothes. I’m sure they’d fit ya well enough till I can find you some ladies stuff that fits. Why don’t you reach back and grab my bag. I found some cartons in there, I’m sure you could use a smoke, I know I could.” She reached in the back and pulled his bag onto her lap. She pulled out a carton and a lighter.  
“Do I have to fill this up? It’s probably not safe to pour lighter fluid in a moving vehicle.”  
“I got some bics in there too, probably on the bottom.” She fished around and found one with the American flag on it. She passed it to him to hold while she opened the carton.  
“Menthols, huh?” she said mockingly.  
“Used to smoke ‘em all the time. Does not make me a douche bag,” he replied.  
“Hey, I’m not making fun. Desperate times and all that.” She lit two and handed one to him. They drove in relative silence until they reached the area where the creek was.  
“We can walk from here,” he said, “ain’t too far.” He grabbed two towels and wash clothes from one of the duffels, while she grabbed the soap and some clothes from the other. They stopped when they reached the spot where they had been the day before, both of them remembering what had happened there. “Are we gonna do this together?” he asked.  
“That would be nice, but I think one of us should keep a look out. Don’t know what’s out there,” Melissa replied, a little disappointed by her own words.  
“Alright, ladies first, but I can’t guarantee that I’ll be looking anywhere but at you.”  
“You better. It’ll be hard trying to save my ass and yours if I’m naked.”  
“Mmmmm, naked,” he said and put his lips on her neck. “At least let me get you out of those clothes.”  
“Yeah, that sounds like fun, but not a good idea. It won’t take long, I promise.” He let her go and sat under the tree from yesterday. He watched her undress and walk into the water. His dick was tingling, again, but he knew nothing was gonna happen here. She was right, it was too dangerous. He tried not to look at her and instead took in his surroundings. He let his mind wonder a bit in order to keep his dick in line. He thought about her parents and what their deaths had done to her. The situation she was put in because of it and he did something that he would never have done had he been thinking strait. He opened his mouth. “Did they ever catch him? The drunk driver that killed your parents? They ever find him?” She wasn’t opposed to talking about it, just curious as to why he was so interested.  
“Yeah, they arrested him at the scene. The cops said he passed out behind the wheel and ran the red light. Drove right into us.”  
“You ever see him? Know anything about him?”  
“The cops told me a little, but I never saw him. They didn’t allow me in the courtroom ‘cause I was too young. I had to tape a deposition for the judge. I didn’t get to watch any of the news reports either. One of the cops told me his name though, Walter or Will or something.” Daryl took a deep breath and swallowed hard. This was it, he contemplated how he would respond.  
“It was Will, his name was Will. Well, William, technically. William Marshall Dixon. He was my father.”


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flashbacks and confessions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! Sorry for the wait on this one. It seems that all I do now is make you wait for updates. This chapter contains a flashback from Daryl's pov. It is the first 3/4 of the chapter in case you can't tell. I hope it's not confusing. Thank you for all the kudos and comments. I'm sending you all brownies in the mail. Please let me know what you think. Enjoy!

Chapter 19

Daryl lay in bed, awake, but quiet. He didn’t hear anything so that meant that either his dad was sleeping it off or never came home last night. He was hoping for the latter. He had learned to be stealthy in the woods, but Will Dixon could hear a breeze blowing from a thousand yards away, even when he was drunk. He laid in bed for a few more minutes, turning over to see what his alarm clock would say. Seven twenty-six in the morning, and it was Saturday. Not that the day of the week mattered. He hadn’t been to school in a while, didn’t want to have to explain the black eyes and bruises. So he spent his days in the woods alone, hunting for his breakfast, lunch and dinner. He stayed in bed another half hour until he got up as quietly as he could and put on his shirt and pants from yesterday, and the day before that. He slowly opened the door and listened, hearing nothing, not even snoring. He crept into the bathroom and brushed his teeth, then went into the kitchen. He was lacing up his boots when he heard a knock on the front door. He figured it was some Jehovah Witness, they were the only people ever stupid enough to knock on Will Dixon’s door. He looked through the peephole and saw two police uniforms. He figured they were there for one of two reasons. Either Merle was dead or in jail, or Will was dead or in jail. He opened the door slowly and immediately recognized Officers Carey and Charles. They had arrested his father and brother more times than he could count.

“Hello Daryl,” Officer Charles said and held his hand out for the young man to shake.

“Morning Officers. Merle and my daddy ain’t here. Ain’t seen Merle in a couple of weeks and Will was gone when I got home yesterday.”

“Yeah, son we know. Can we come in? There’s something we gotta talk about.”

“Sure,” Daryl said and opened the door wide enough for both officers to walk inside. They didn’t bother sitting, just got right to the point. 

“Daryl, your daddy was arrested last night. He was driving drunk again . . . .” Daryl cut him off at that point.

“I can’t bail him out this time. I think he found the place I been stashing some money. Every penny was gone last night. I assume he bought liquor with it since he was driving drunk.”

“He very well may have son, but there’s more. Maybe you should sit down.” Both dread and hopeful relief surrounded Daryl. Will was dead, he just knew it. That meant so many different things to him. He really didn’t know what he was feeling at that moment.

“Naw sir, just tell me what happened,” he said trying to remain calm.

Officer Carey took over the conversation at this point and moved standing closer to Daryl. “He passed out behind the wheel, went straight through a red light. Ran right into a vehicle containing three passengers. Two were dead at the scene, the third was unconscious and taken by ambulance to Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta. Will is in lock up. We booked him for DUI and vehicular manslaughter. If that little girl lives and can give us a statement your dad could do some significant time for this.”

Daryl was stunned. He always thought that if Will would have killed anyone in a drunken stupor, it would have been him. “A little girl? She’s still alive? Is she gonna be okay?”

“Don’t know yet son. Spoke to the doc before we came over here. She’s in a coma, got head trauma, internal bleeding and minor cuts and bruises. She’s going into surgery as soon as she’s stable enough.”

“The two people who died, they were her parents or something?”

“Yes,” Officer Charles answered. “We’re not gonna ask ya to come down to the station right now, but we’ll need a statement from you saying that your money was gone. Since you’re just sixteen, you’re supposed to go into Child Protective Services, but we don’t want that to happen, son. We’re gonna try to find Merle, once he proves he’s your next of kin, he can take you. I know you gotta be all kinds of confused son, so I’m gonna give ya a few hours. Go out to the woods for a while, collect yourself, then come to the station this afternoon. We’ll get your statement and try to find Merle in the meantime. Ya got any ides where he could be?”

“No sir. I saw him a couple weeks ago, said he’d made some new friends and was staying with a woman out in Stallings. Don’t know who she is, but he’s gonna run if he sees y’all coming.”

“Well, we’ll do our best.” Officer Carey reached in his pocket and took out a twenty dollar bill. “Go get ya something to eat boy, go down to the diner and get ya a good home cooked meal.” Daryl was suddenly ashamed and couldn’t look the officers in the eye. “I’m sorry Daryl, for how things turned out for you. Losing your mamma, getting stuck with Will, and Merle turning out the way he has. We all knew what was going on in this house from day one, but by law couldn’t do anything about it unless someone pressed charges or we caught him in the act. This is a terrible thing that’s happened, a little girl lost her entire family, but I think this could be a turning point for you. He will go to prison for this, I promise. You have to promise me that you’ll take advantage of this situation and turn things around. You can have a better life now Daryl.” He placed the twenty on the table and they walked out the door. Daryl stared at the money the officer had left him. He stared at it for quite a while and thought about what they had said.

He hadn’t had a proper meal in weeks. Yes, he had squirrel and rabbit when he could catch it, but there were no guarantees he could catch it. He hadn’t had fresh fruit or vegetables in months. His body was severely deficient of vitamins and minerals and he knew he could get more than a decent meal with that much money, maybe two meals. He finally picked up the twenty and shoved it in his pocket. This was the first of many good things Daryl hoped would come from this situation.

He sat in the corner booth at the diner on Main Street eating breakfast, a real honest to god breakfast. He ordered fried eggs, bacon, biscuits and gravy along with a tall glass of orange juice and a black coffee. He had been able to get all that for six bucks, plus tax and tip of course. He tried to feel guilty for what was happening with his dad. Will deserved to be in prison for what he had done, for all the things he had done, and he felt relief that his own personal hell was on pause for now. The officers sounded confident that his dad would go away for a long time, but what if he didn’t? Will had friends, nasty, low-life friends. He had always avoided being arrested or punished for beating his ma, Merle and himself. This wouldn’t be any different, he would be home in a few weeks after all this blew over and things would go back to normal for him.

Then he thought about the little girl in a coma. She probably had a great life, loving parents who supported her and didn’t beat her every time they saw her. Now she had lost that because Will just couldn’t stop fucking up other people’s lives. He had ruined Merle’s life, though his brother would never give that man credit for it. Drugs, alcohol and pussy were his coping mechanisms, Daryl never questioned why. His own ability to cope was somewhat shaky and didn’t always work. He practically lived in the woods. When his dad was home, he was either there or in school, which he hated, but his dad wasn’t there, so he felt safe. 

He gave Office Charles his statement, which didn’t take long, and the cop asked him a few more questions that he couldn’t answer. Before he left the station he asked if he would have to appear in court or be required to see his father for any reason. He was told no, since he had given his statement and was not involved in the incident, he would not be required to appear in court, and he didn’t have to see his father unless he wanted to, which he didn’t. He tentatively shook the officer’s hands when presented with them and asked if they would keep him updated on the case, especially the little girl and they said they would. Within the week, the girl had woken up and the case against Will Dixon was heading to court. Merle showed up at his door the second week after the accident. “Pack yo shit baby brother, we’re getting the fuck up outta this joint, ain’t never coming back.”

“Where are we going Merle? What about school? I only got a year left, can’t we wait just a little?” Daryl asked him, eager to follow his brother like a puppy, but also wishing he could do the one thing that no other Dixon ever had, graduate high school. 

“No baby brother. Ya see, I got my ass into a bit of trouble and I got to get the fuck outta Dodge and I ain’t leaving without ya. I ain’t never gonna leave ya behind ever again. It’s my job to turn ya into a man, and I aim to do it. You gonna be my right hand, my lieutenant, my muscle when, and if, something goes wrong. Trust me baby brother, that’s always a possibility in my line of work.”

“What’s your line of work?” Daryl asked. He didn’t know if he wanted an answer to that question or not.

“Don’t have time to go into details. You don’t need to worry your pretty little head about it Darlina. You just need to worry about keeping your eyes and ears open and covering my ass. Now stop your yippy yappin’ and grab your damn shit. Bring whatever the hell you want, just pack it up and put it the old man’s truck. What kinda shape is it in?”

Daryl shrugged. “It’ll still run. The guys down at the shop said they did the best they could with it considering how old and shitty it was to begin with.”

“Alright little brother, you drive the pick-up. We’ll do what we can to keep it running.” Daryl ran to his room and pulled his gym bag from under his bed. He always kept a change of clothes in it in case the opportunity to escape from this hell ever presented itself. Now that the truck was his, he could take more stuff with him. He didn’t have a lot, but he grabbed a few more shirts, pants and underwear. He threw in a few books he had hidden from Will, things would have been even worse if Will thought his son felt he was better than him. He grabbed his toothbrush, deodorant, razors and all of his father’s guns and knives. He took one last look at his bedroom, a place that had held so many terrors for him. He was not sad to say goodbye to it, he had a feeling that the accident may have taken two lives, but it gave him a chance to finally live his own life. He grabbed his crossbow and walked out of the house. He followed Merle out of the driveway and never looked back.

*******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Melissa suddenly stopped what she was doing. She didn’t turn around, she didn’t do anything. She had to have misheard him. That man’s father took her parent’s lives? How could he know that for sure? How long had he known before he decided to tell her? She wasn’t sure if she believed him, but he didn’t lie, right? After what they shared last night, why would he do this to her now, when she was naked in a creek? “Say something Melissa, please.” She turned around slowly, suddenly feeling the need to hide herself from him again. She rushed out of the water and grabbed one of the towels he brought. His voice was strained and his face was full of sorrow. This was hurting him deeply. After she wrapped the towel around herself, she knelt in front of him.

“Why would you say that? What in the hell would make would make you say that Daryl? That can’t be true.” There were a few tears running down his cheeks. His nerves were starting to fray and he started talking a mile a minute. “I remember that day, well the day after when the cops came to the door. They told me two people were dead and a little girl was in a coma. All I could think about was that bastard ain’t coming home today. Cops told me he’d go to prison for a long time and I wanted that to happened, not just for the accident, but for everything else that he’d done, to mama, to Merle, and to me. I felt sorry for ya, figured you’d lost a pretty good set of parents. I bet they loved ya and treated ya good. I felt sorry for a cause he took ‘em away from ya. He always destroyed anything that was good, or could be good. I thought about going to the hospital to see ya, but I didn’t think you’d want to see me. I thought you’d hate me, and when Merle come to get me, I didn’t look back. We left town that day. I wasn’t even there for the trial. Didn’t give a fuck what happened to him. I got away from him and that stupid town as fast as I could. Went somewhere nobody knew what being a Dixon meant. That was my opportunity to get out and live a normal life and I was glad that it happened. I stopped thinking about that little girl, stopped caring about what happened to her. I never knew who you were and I didn’t care. My old man destroyed your life and I didn’t care.” Daryl covered his face in his hands and sobbed, his body started to shake with the impact of the tears.

Melissa sat in front of him cross-legged, but didn’t touch him. She didn’t offer him any kind of comfort, just sat watching him cry. She remembered the pain she had felt when she woke from the coma, physical and emotional. She remembered the two policemen who told her that her parents were dead and had already been buried. She remembered what they told her about the man who had killed them. “Daryl, do you want to know what the police told me about him? Do you want me to tell you what I know about that man?” He took his hands away from him face, but didn’t look at her, he just stared at the ground. “They told me he was a drunk, and addict, a wife beater . . . . and a child abuser. They said his wife had killed herself to get away from him. The police report called it an accidental fire, but that everyone knew better. Said he had two boys, one already had a record a mile long, and the other one . . . they said the other one had been sent to the hospital more times than they could count. They told me that the man who killed my parents was going to prison for a long time, that his son was finally free and had a chance at a good life and that he deserved it. What they wanted me to understand was that my parent’s deaths saved a life. Mom and dad were good people, they did love me and take care of me. They would give the shirt off their backs if someone needed it. If they would have known that their deaths saved your life, they would have been happy to do it. Children meant everything to them. Momma told me once that before I was born they’d take in foster kids, kids who were abused, abandoned and neglected. They would have taken you Daryl, they would have wanted to give you a better life. I don’t hate you, I’m not mad at you and I certainly am not going to begrudge you freedom from abuse. I was happy to hear that you had been given a chance, even if I didn’t know you. Yes, I was angry that I was alone and I hated the man who took them away from me. I hate him still today, but now I have more to hate him for. You need to forgive yourself Daryl, you did nothing wrong.”

He still couldn’t look at her, but he had stopped crying. “I can’t lose you. I can’t do this by myself anymore. Please don’t leave me. I love you.” He said the last part so quietly that she barely heard him, but she did hear him. Melissa hadn’t heard those words since her parents had last said them to her. She brought his face up to hers and wiped tears from his face and hair from his eyes. “I will never leave you Daryl. Now that I know you, I can’t live without you. I will always be with you, until you don’t want me anymore.” She kissed his lips. There was no passion or lust behind it, just the security that they were together.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

 

They arrived back at the campsite as the stars were coming out. Neither had said a word to the other the whole trip. They left the supplies in the truck and Daryl started a small fire while Melissa grabbed a few cans from their stash, placing them on a grate of sticks that he had made. They were still shaken by his revelation, and he was still ashamed and scared. She was able to alleviate some of his guilt, but not all of it, never all of it. She wanted to sit next to him, she wanted him to put his arms around her and kiss her, but she knew he wouldn’t. She knew he was afraid to. After he finished his dinner, he pulled out the poncho and laid it on the ground. “I’ll take first watch, you get some sleep,” he said gruffly. “Tomorrow, we’ll pull up stakes, head back to the development, and see what we can find,” then he sat down leaning against the massive tree trunk and let the fire die out.

His mind wouldn’t stop running, going over everything she said to him. She didn’t blame him for anything, not for her parent’s deaths or for him being happy about what that meant to him. She hadn’t yelled at him or hit him. She hadn’t walked away from him. She was still here and he was grateful and relieved by that. The dark recesses of his brain kept telling him that she could still leave though. One day she would wake up and realize that he was just a selfish bastard. He told her he loved her and she hadn’t acknowledged it. He barely remembered saying it, but he had. Maybe she didn’t hear him, maybe she didn’t love him back. Maybe she could have loved him once, but he had probably ruined that like he ruined everything else in his life. He didn’t wake her when it was her turn for watch. There was no one in the woods, so he just watched her sleep. She was the most beautiful women he had ever known. She had kindness, compassion and love in her soul. He could see it and feel it. She deserved a better man than him. He wanted so badly to be her everything. He wanted her to love him, want him and need him as much as he loved, wanted and needed her.

When the sun began to rise, he finally moved from his spot beneath the tree. He knelt next to her sleeping form and rubbed his thumb against her cheek softly. When she stirred, he quickly moved away, going over to the bike, taking it from its hiding place to load it onto the truck. She sat up and looked for him. She was sure she felt his touch, but he was too far away. She was hesitant to speak to him, but needed to connect with him in some way. She walked to the truck where he was trying to lift the bike up. “Can I help?” she asked him. He never looked at her when he spoke.

“Sure. I can get the front half up there. Could you get up in there and pull it in so I can lift the back end up?” She nodded and climbed into the bed of the truck. When he lifted the front, she grabbed the handle bars and puled as he lifted the back end up and in. “Can ya hold it up while I go get the rope?” When he came back, he shooed her out of his way and secured the motorcycle.

“How come you didn’t wake me up for watch?” she asked as she observed him.

“Just thought ya needed some sleep. I wasn’t tired anyway.”

“Yeah, but you ain’t gonna last all day if you don’t sleep too. Let me drive and you can take a nap.”

“Don’t need you mothering me,” he said. “I’ll be just fine. I’ll let you know if I need sleep.”

“Do you want something to eat before we leave?” she asked him as he jumped off the tailgate.

“Naw,” he said shifting on his feet, “just grab a box or bag of something and we’ll eat in the truck.” She took a box of Ritz crackers out of one of the bags and watched him roll up the poncho. He used his foot to scatter what was left of their dead fire pit and jumped into the truck. She followed him and he sped off the moment her door was closed. 

They had both been keeping an eye out for any movement in the tree line, but had only seen squirrels and walkers go by. When they were about halfway back to the development, Daryl suddenly stopped the truck in the middle of the road. “Gotta take a piss. I suggest you go now if ya gotta.” She did, in fact have to piss, so she got out and stretched her legs a little before following Daryl into the woods. He was leaning next to the passenger’s side door when she came back. When she put her hand on the door to get back in, he stopped her. “Thank you,” he said as he looked down at their hands. “Thank you for what you said yesterday. It’s just gonna take me a while to believe it. Never heard anything like that before. Everything has always been my fault, whether it was or not. It was always me that got the blame . . . the beating.” He put his hands on her hips and pulled her close. “I meant everything I said too.” He leaned down and kissed her lips. She put her arms around his neck to hold him to her. Their lips moved together slowly and when they pulled away from each other, he opened the door for her and she climbed back into the truck.

Daryl slowed down when they were about five miles away from the development. If any of the others had escaped and were injured, they wouldn’t have been able to get too far away. With about two or three miles to go, they saw what remained of the walkers that had been locked in the box truck. There weren’t many left, maybe half a dozen or so. When they got close to the truck, Daryl and Melissa stepped out with their knives drawn. It didn’t take long for the two of them to destroy what was left of the small herd, then they got back into the truck and coasted the rest of the way.

They found the truck that the others had driven exactly where they left it. They stayed in their own truck for a few minutes taking in their surroundings. They didn’t see any other vehicles around at all. The box truck was gone. Daryl took his bow and Melissa took her knives and they cautiously stepped out of the vehicle. They walked to the house that they had found and stayed at before. Nothing had been touched since they had left. The bags that had been left behind were still there, but Rick, Glenn and Maggie were not. “Should we check out the other house? The one where those other people were?” she asked Daryl.

“Yeah, but we gotta be real careful. Just ‘cause that truck ain’t there don’t mean they ain’t’. You stick close to me, I fucking mean it. Doesn’t take five steps away, ya hear? Hell, I’ll give ya a fucking piggy back ya if I have to.”

“That won’t be necessary. I’ll hold your hand the whole time if that will make ya feel better.” She sat on the floor and looked up at him. “So how do we do this?”

“We’re gonna do a check on the outside first. Check for open doors and windows. Maybe we can get a look inside before we do anything. Then we’ll try the front door, I’ll go in first. You don’t move a fucking muscle until I tell you to. When, and if I give the all clear, you follow me in. We check top to bottom. If something happens and it ain’t clear, you run as fast as you fucking can. Try ta make your way back to the cabin, okay?”

“You told me not to leave your sight. I ain’t leaving ya if you’re in trouble,” she told him.

Daryl sat on the floor next to her, “If something happens to me, I don’t want ya to see it. I don’t want to risk the same thing happening to you. Promise me.”

“I promise.” She didn’t really want to and had decided that she would break that promise if she had to. “So, do we wait until dark, see if the truck comes back or what?” He thought about it for a minute before he said, “Our best bet is to go while the truck ain’t here. If there are any people in the house, there shouldn’t be too many. I think we could handle ‘em. You pack both knives and your nine, I’m taking my knife and the bow. I know I don’t have to tell ya to stay alert and pay attention, I know you will.” He stood and took her hand to help her up. He wrapped his arms around her waist and wanted so badly to tell her he loved her, but he didn’t. He buried his face in her neck and kissed her there. “I’m so glad I still have you,” he said on her skin. “I’m glad I still have you too,” she replied.

There wasn’t much to cover their approach to the house, all they had to rely on was their stealth. Daryl had never been more proud of Melissa than right now. Rick was a good leader and a sure shot, but was as invisible as a tornado in a trailer park. This woman knew how and when to be quiet, she knew how to sneak around and he was grateful again that she was still with him. They went straight to the back yard where Daryl immediately found tracks. He could see three distinct sets and he knew they belonged to Rick, Maggie and Glenn. At first they seemed organized, but then he noticed two additional sets of prints. All five sets went around the side of the house and he followed them. Melissa had been trying to look through windows, but either they were too high or covered by closed drapes. They went around the corner and arrived at the front door. Daryl looked up toward the second floor windows, but couldn’t see anything. He motioned for Melissa to stay behind him and on guard.

He wriggled the door handle, and of course, it was locked. That could be a good sign. He took a step back, bow cocked and ready. He kicked out with his left food and the door cracked, just a little. It took two more kicks and a hard shove with his shoulders, but he finally got the door down. He stepped in first and took a quick look and listen. Seeing and hearing nothing, he waived Melissa inside. She took the hallway which led to a bedroom and around to the kitchen. She found the bed a mess, sheets and blankets balled up and piled high in the bed, a few dresser drawers open or on the floor. The bathroom wasn’t much better. She found blood and dirt stains in the sink and shower, and a bucket of cold, filthy water setting on the toilet lid. Daryl found as much in the kitchen as she did in the bedroom. There were empty food cans everywhere, chairs turned over and two bloody knives on the counter, but no people . . . yet.

They met back in the living room and went upstairs together. There were two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a closet. They didn’t separate this time, but moved from room to room together. It looked like no one had ever been up here. The bedrooms were neat and tidy, the bathroom was clean, and the closet was full of nice, fluffy towels. “I think there’s a basement,” Daryl said as they descended the stairs. “There’s a door in the living room, before ya go into the kitchen. We should check it out. Seems like they left, don’t know for how long, but they could be down there, they could be alive down there.”

“And they could be walkers down there, we don’t know. I hope they’re not down there at all. Maybe they were able to get away and they’re safe somewhere.” Daryl tucked her head into his shoulder and ran his fingers through her hair. “We’re gonna find ‘em no matter where they are. If they’re walkers, we’ll put ‘em down. If they’re dead, we’ll bury ‘em.” He paused for a moment, “If they’re alive, we’ll take ‘em home to our family.”

The basement door was slightly ajar and Daryl took the flashlight out of his back pocket and put it between his lips. They crept down the stairs and as they neared the bottom, they heard the tell-tale sounds of the once dead. Daryl shone his light across the room and saw two walkers he gratefully did not recognize. He took one out with a bolt and Melissa took out the other with her knife. They kicked the bodies to the side and looked over the room. There were three chairs laying on their sides with cords of rope still attached to them. They found a few droplets of blood on the floor, but nothing that would indicate a fatal injury. It was on a bench along the back wall that she found evidence that their friends had been there. Shining in the dim light of Daryl’s torch was Rick’s Colt Python. He wouldn’t have left it behind if he hadn’t been forced to. Daryl nor Melissa said a word to teach other, there was nothing to say. They could only look at each other sadly and hope that their friends were still alive somewhere. He shoved the weapon in the back of his pants and led her back upstairs.

When they arrived back at their house, Melissa went straight upstairs and Daryl followed her. They disappeared into the room that would have been theirs two nights ago. He put the gun in his bag and caught a glance of something he had forgotten he had. Suddenly, he felt Melissa’s arms wrap around him from behind. His hands covered hers and he hung his head down. She rested her cheek between his shoulder blades, “We’ll find them and they’ll be alive. I know they will.”

“I know. Rick and Glenn, they’re tough sons a bitches. And Maggie, she’s a fucking badass. I’m just . . . . I don’t know. Rick wouldn’t have left his gun behind unless he was forced to. Whoever those motherfuckers are, they took ‘em. If they weren’t still alive, they’d a been walkers in the basement.” He turned around in her arms and rested his forehead on hers. “We’ll stay here tonight, head out in the morning. I can track ‘em. I know I can.”

“Sshhh, I know. Let’s go back downstairs. I’ll get us something to eat, okay?”

“Naw, I’m not hungry. Just wanna lay down for a bit. Would you stay with me?”

“Of course. I think we both need some rest.” Melissa went to the bed and took off her boots and jeans. Daryl took something out of his bag and stood in front of her.

“Hey, smile for me,” he said and she did. The flash from the Polaroid startled her.

“What the fuck Daryl? Where the hell did you get that thing? Give me a warning next time.”

“I found it at the gas station. Just thought I’d like to have a picture of you, ya know, if anything happened.” He put the camera and the developing picture on the dresser by his bag. She stood up and took his hand leading him to the bed.

“Ain’t nothing gonna happen. We ain’t gonna lose each other, but I want one of those of you, maybe the two of us together?”

“Yeah, that’d be nice.” He took off his boots, pants and vest, debating with himself whether or not to shed the t-shirt also. She deserved to see all of him, especially now. He pulled the cloth up and over his head, then bent down to pick up the rest of their clothes and walked to the dresser, laying them next to his bag, knowing she was looking at his scars. When he turned around, she was sitting on the bed smiling at him, crooking her finger at him to come closer. He climbed into bed with her and covered them both with the sheet. She put her hand on his face, “Thank you for trusting me with that.” She ran her fingers along the scars on his chest and stomach. “They made you who you are. I don’t think I would have fallen in love with you if you hadn’t experienced what you did. I’m the woman I am because of what happened. It happened to both of us and now here we are, on the other side, together.” Her words put a broad smile on Daryl’s face.

“You’re in love with me?” he asked moving his eyes up to hers, looking at her between his quickly growing bangs.

“Yes. I’ve never felt this way. You make me feel . . . . happy, alive, you make me smile. No one, no man, has ever wanted to be near me. No one ever talked to me or even looked at me until you. I was invisible to everyone, but you saw me, you saw all of me and you didn’t run away screaming. You kissed me, you touched me. You did all of that willingly. You’ve protected me, you’ve saved me, and I fell in love with you.”

He took a deep breath and held it for a few seconds. Cupping her face in his hands he spoke, “No one’s ever loved me before, except my mamma. Never thought there was anything worth lovin’. Never thought I’d find somebody I’d want to love.” Feeling bold, she pushed him down onto the bed and hovered over him.

“I love you Daryl.” She kissed him gently, but he quickly made the kiss more passionate. He ran his tongue across her lips and they opened for him, giving him access to explore her mouth. He pressed them together and their hands roamed each other’s bodies. She moved her hands across his back feeling the puckered and broken skin. He tensed when he felt her soft hands on his scars, but relaxed when he realized he didn’t have to be scared anymore. Her touch was giving him confidence and he flipped them over and floated above her. Their hands and mouths never left each other. He trailed kisses across her jaw and down her neck, sucking on the skin there. He tugged at the hem of her shirt and pushed it up and over her head. Pulling the cups of her bra down, he cupped her breasts and squeezed them tightly, making her moan against his skin. She began to buck her hips into his body.

“Touch me please,” she begged him. One hand trailed down her body to the waistband of her panties. He pushed a finger under the material and rubbed it against her opening gathering her juices, then rubbed her clit at an agonizingly slow pace. Her back arched upward and off the bed. “Fuck yes! Yes! Yes! Harder please!” He removed his finger only for a second before he moved it back down to her entrance. She growled in disappointment until his thumb took over at her clit. He rubbed his finger over her entrance teasing and she whined. “Fuck Daryl. What are you doing to me?”

He leaned over her body and licked the shell of her ear. “I’m gonna put my fingers inside ya and I’m gonna fuck ya.” He pushed one finger inside her unbearably tight hole. “AAAAHHHH,” she said loudly. He stilled his finger, “Am I hurting ya? I’ll stop.”

“No, don’t stop. Just go slow.” He nodded his head and very slowly started pushing further inside her. When he was in up to his knuckle, he gave her a minute. He had never been with a virgin before and had no idea how tight the fit would be. He was wondering if he would ever be able to fit his cock inside her. He would just have to make sure she was well prepared.

“Tell me when you’re ready baby. I’m gonna fuck you nice and slow.” She took a few deep breaths as he continued to rub her clit. When she was ready, he began to pump his finger inside her gently, never completely pulling out. He kissed her mouth, neck and chest and he moved his fingers on her and inside her. Her breathing quickened, her moans became louder, and she moved her hips on his finger. He was so focused on her body, he ignored his own growing erection. He sat back on his knees and watched her body writhe on his finger. He moved another towards her hole and nudged it inside. She was so amazingly wet that it slid in without a problem. He moved his fingers faster losing the rhythm he had on her clit, but she didn’t seem to notice. She was making the most beautiful sounds and her body was hypnotizing. He watched her breasts move up and down as she squirmed. The look on her face was ecstasy. “I love you. I love you. I love you so fucking much Melissa. You look so beautiful like this.” He was still having a hard time believing that he was the one doing this to her. He didn’t think he was capable of making a woman feel like this. He growled deep in his chest with pride and possession. She was his woman now, no other man would ever have her like this, or any other way. “Cum for me.” His fingers moved faster inside her and he moved his face down to her cunt and flicked her hard with his tongue. Her body stilled and stiffened as she screamed his name and came on his fingers. He fucked her through her orgasm and licked her juices. Her eyes were clinched shut as he removed his fingers. “Open your eyes,” he told her and when she did, he put his wet fingers in his mouth and sucked them clean.

His cock was still hard, but he still managed to ignore it. All he wanted now was to hold her in his arms and fall asleep. He collapsed next to her and pulled the sheet around their bodies. He pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her resting her head on his chest. He felt her body relax and before she let sleep consume her she said, “I love you so fucking much.”

 

The first thing Rick noticed when he regained consciousness was that he was in a vehicle on a very bumpy road. There was a hood over his head, his hands were tied behind him, and there was something stuffed in his mouth. The last thing he remembered was being tied to a chair in the basement of that house. Glenn and Maggie had been with him then, he didn’t know where they were now. They had been officially introduced to The Governor, who seemed to be an arrogant, delusional asshole. When the vehicle stopped, he heard men talking outside, he couldn’t tell how many there were, but it sounded like maybe five or six. Suddenly, the door opened and he was pulled out of the car and thrown to the ground. He felt two sets of hands grab his arms and pull him up. He was dragged forward and taken inside somewhere, he wasn’t sure what kind of a place it was. They walked him down a long corridor and threw him into a room. He heard the door close and lock and felt a presence standing over him. He was jerked up by his shirt collar and the hood was ripped off his head. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the light, but before they did, he heard a very familiar voice

“Well, if it ain’t Officer Friendly. Bet you thought you’d a gotten rid of ol’ Merle for good huh?”


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

 

“Bet you’s hopin’ I was dead somewhere, huh?” Merle said snidely. “Bet Daryl beat your ass when he found out what you done to me. I’m surprised you’re still alive Officer Friendly. I’da thought my baby brother woulda killed you.” 

“He didn’t kill me Merle. I don’t know why. You should ask him yourself.”

“And how the hell am I supposed to do that?” Merle said incredulously.

“He’s with us at the development. Ya took him too.”

“I didn’t take nobody. I weren’t even there. All I know is I recognized you and the Chinese kid as soon as soon as they dragged your asses out of the trucks. It was just you, him and some girl. Daryl ain’t here.” Merle then realized what Rick had just told him. “Wait a goddamn minute here, you saying that my baby brother is still hanging with you assholes? You saying he ain’t out looking for ol’ Merle no more?”

Rick finally got himself in an upright position and leaned back against the wall. “We went back for ya. Me, Daryl, Glenn, and T-Dog. We went back to that rooftop and you was gone. Daryl had a fuckin’ shit fit when he found your hand. Pointed a damn arrow right at my head.”

“So what happened? How’d you convince him to give up on me?”

“I didn’t do shit. We were gonna go through the city lookin’ for ya after we picked up the gun bag and ran into a gang. They took the guns and Glenn. I’m glad we didn’t stick around the city after we got ‘em back. The camp got overrun that night. If we hadn’t got back when we did, we would have lost everybody.”

“Does everybody include me, ‘cause I sure as hell was lost. Found that damn truck ya left me though, that was mighty kind of ya, I’ll admit.” Merle pulled up a chair in the space in front of where Rick was sitting on the floor. “So you took advantage of my sweet little baby brother, didn’t ya? He follow you around like a damn puppy? Did everything you told him to without question. Ya convinced him I was dead and he needed someone to take care of him?”

“Your brother ain’t nobody’s puppy. Daryl’s his own man now. Better man than you that’s for damn sure,” Rick said looking Merle directly in the eyes. “He’s protecting us, he’s feeding us. He almost lost his life looking for Carol’s little girl. I trust him with my life and the lives of every member of the group. He’s loved and respected. He’s out of your shadow and he’s a good man.” Mere stood up and threw the chair across the room. Grabbing Rick by the collar, he pulled him to his feet and punched him so hard he bounced off the wall before falling back onto the floor.

“You don’t know a goddamn thing about my brother Officer Friendly. I’m gonna find him and beat some sense inta him. He’s gonna learn what kind of an asshole you are,” Merle said and stomped out of the room, letting the door slam and lock behind him.

 

The Governor was sitting in his office with Shumpert and Martinez when he walked in. “Who is he Merle? He part of the group that left you to bleed to death?” he asked before he took a sip from his glass of Scotch.

“Yup,” Merle answered, “that’s the sum bitch that handcuffed me to the damn pipe. The Asian kid too, don’t know who the girl is. Some whore they picked up along the way, I guess.” He paused long enough to pour his own glass. “Fucker says my brother’s still with ‘em, says he was at that development. Ya sure those three the only ones you saw?”

“Those three were sneaking ‘round the back of the house.” Shumpert said. “We were too busy taking care of them to notice anyone else, but he could’ve been the fucker that let the biters loose. If that was him, he couldn’t have outrun a damn truck full of ‘em. Either he’s dead of he’s one of ‘em, man.” 

The thought of Daryl being a walker infuriated Merle. “He ain’t no damn biter. He may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he knows how to survive. He ain’t gonna let no damn asshole take him out like that. He’s alive, I know it. Ya gotta let me go to that housing development so I can find him. I’ll bring him back here. He’s the best bow hunter I’ve ever known, he’d be great for Woodbury. He takes orders good too, you got a job needs doin’, he’ll do it. I gotta get my brother back.”

“Alright Merle,” the Governor said, “you go find your brother and bring him here to me. If he’s half the man you are I know I can trust him. He will be loyal to this town, won’t he Merle?”

“He’ll be anything I tell him to be. I fucking raised him, I fucking take care of him. He’s the man he is ‘cause a me. You don’t worry, you’ll have two Dixons in your corner. That’s all you’ll ever need.” Merle tipped back his glass and finished the last of his drink.

“That’s good to know,” the Governor said. “You can head out tomorrow morning if ya like, but there’s one more think I’d like you to do for me.”

 

“I just don’t trust him,” Michonne said to her companion. “He’s too charming, this place is too perfect. He’s hiding something, I can sense it.” Andrea rolled her eyes.

“Listen Chonne, I can understand your skepticism. We were out there for a long time, but this is a safe place. The walls are strong and tall, their guarded every minute of the day. The farm was a good, safe place, it gave us a chance to relax for a minute, we didn’t have to look over our shoulders for a while. You can’t tell me that you don’t miss living like this.”

“I can say it. The only thing I miss about my old life I can never get back.” Andrea considered asking her what that was, but the sadness in her friends eyes kept her from it “I’m not going to stay here and wait for something to happen. If walkers get in, these people can’t defend themselves. They’re too soft, they’ve gotten used to having bar-b-ques on the weekend, having clean clothes every day and hot showers. I bet not one of them have had to go without food for more than a few hours since this shit started. If the dead get into this place, every one of these people will die.’

Andrea stopped walking and sat on a bench along the sidewalk. “That is exactly why we need to stay. We could help them, we can help protect them and train them with weapons.” Michonne sat next to her friend.

“Why hasn’t the Governor already done that? He has an army here, they could have had the whole town trained by now. All the women and children too. Instead, he has them making casseroles and baking cookies. Have you asked him about that?”

“No Chonne, I haven’t, but I will. Phillip is a good man. He wants to bring people in and protect them. That’s why they made him their leader.” 

“Phillip?” Michonne asked and arched her eyebrows in question.

“He asked me to call him by his name. It’s not a big deal.” Andrea replied.

“What about that friend of yours? His Lieutenant, what’s his name? Mac, Mitch or something? He was in the same group with you wasn’t he? How well do you know him? What kind of man is he?”

Andrea sighed, she knew what kind of man Merle Dixon was. He was shady, racist and misogynistic. He was perfect as a militia leader. “Merle is an arrogant, bigoted asshole. He hit on me more times than I can count. I’m pretty sure he has no morals or ethics. He’s an addict and almost got us killed on a run in Atlanta. I don’t trust Mere, but I do trust Phillip. If Merle trusts him and is loyal to him, he won’t step out of line. He won’t do anything against Phillips wishes. He wouldn’t hurt us.”

“Not unless your boyfriend Phillip tells him to. You do realize that man still has our weapons, don’t you? He has your gun and my katana. He promised that he would return them as soon as we were settled in. It’s been a week Andrea, we don’t even know where he’s keeping them.”

“I’ll ask him about that too. He probably forgot. He’s in charge of this town and all these people. He has a lot on his mind, I’m sure.” Andrea stood from the bench, “I’ll go talk to him now. Why don’t you walk around for a while, introduce yourself, and make new friends.”

“I have enough friends, but I will take a walk. I know there’s something going on and I’m gonna find out what it is.” 

Andrea turned back to her friend as she walked away, “If you find Jimmy Hoffa, let me know.”

 

Glenn hadn’t seen Maggie since they had arrived at whatever this place is. They had been in the truck together, but were separated the moment they got here. He was currently blindfolded, gagged, and tied to a chair He had no idea how long he had been in that room, but he must be under guard, because he could hear voices outside, but couldn’t understand them. His thoughts were consumed by Maggie. Where is she? Is she still alive? His thoughts were broken by the sound of the large metal door opening and closing. He heard footsteps circling him, but whoever it was hadn’t said a word. The person then slapped his shoulder and spoke.

“Long time no see Chinaman.” Oh Fuck, Glenn thought. That couldn’t possibly be who he thought it was. “Ya look different. Your balls finally drop, ‘cause you ain’t the same skinny ass kid you were back at in Atlanta.” When the man pulled the blind fold off and took the gag out of his mouth, he replaced them with a brutal hit to the face.

“Merle? What the fuck? What are you doing here? What are we doing here?”

“Looks like you and Officer Friendly went snoopin’ around where ya don’t belong. I’m here to teach ya to mind your own business . . . and find out where my brother is.” He hit Glenn again on the other side of his face. “What were ya doing at that development? That where ya camp is now?” Merle’s fist went into his gut.

“We were just scoping it out. We’re thinking about moving the group there.”

“How many in your group now?”

“Rick, Lori, Carl, Carol, Herschel, Beth, Maggie, Daryl and Melissa. There’s ten of us including me.”

“Who’s the girl you’s with? Who does she belong to?” Another hit to the jaw.

“She’s Herschel’s daughter.”

“Where’s my brother at? Officer Friendly says he’s still with you assholes,” Merle growled at him.

“He and Melissa were there too. They were checking out the damn box truck.”

Merle ignored the man’s slight attitude for the moment, “Did he get away? Is he still alive?”

“I don’t know Merle. Your asshole friends grabbed us. I never saw him after we separated.”

“They ain’t my friends Chinaman, you best remember that. I’m only in this to find my baby brother, and he better still be alive or you and your friends are gonna be walker bait.”

 

After their dinner of canned beans and peaches, Daryl and Melissa cuddled by the fire he had built. Winter was fast approaching and the nights were getting chilly. She found a few blankets in a hall closet and they had made a little nest for themselves in front of the roaring flame. They discussed the plan to find their friends. Daryl figured there had to be tire tracks somewhere that would lead them in the right direction. They decided that Melissa would drive the truck that had been left by the others. The supplies they had found were still at the house where Rick, Glenn and Maggie had left them and they didn’t want to leave them for someone else to find.

They stayed downstairs until the fire was almost out then went upstairs to bed. For the first time in his life, Daryl Dixon slept without a shirt, or much else for that matter. He climbed in bed wearing only his holey boxers. It made him feel free to be able to do that. He was finally beginning to let some of his demons go. Melissa slept in her bra and panties as usual now. They both felt comfortable enough with each other to do that and thy wanted as much skin on skin contact as they could get. Once the lights were out and Daryl had her snuggled tightly against his chest, she voiced a concern that had been nagging at her gut since they found Rick’s Colt.

“What kind of person, or people do this? Just take people, hoard walking corpses in trucks? What the fuck kind of person does that?” she asked him.

“It’s hard to day, I guess,” he answered. “Maybe he was fucked up before the world went to shit. Maybe the world going to shit is what fucked him up? I used to know guys, Merle’s friends mostly. They were addicts and degenerates. They did some fucked up shit to people for a lot of different reasons. Nobody really knows what’s in somebody’s head or why it’s there. Just gotta believe that Rick and them are alive. Gotta have some faith in ‘em. Their badasses, they can survive anything.

“I’m scared of what we’re gonna find when we see ‘em again. I’ve really gotten attached to this group and I think it’d break my heart to see ‘em dead or undead, or whatever.” She began to cry softly and Daryl tightened his hold around her.

“You ain’t gonna see ‘em dead or undead. They’re alive right now, wherever they are and they’re gonna be alive when we find ‘em. The minute you see ‘em, you gonna run up to Maggie and hug her and y’all gonna cry for days, you hear me?” She sniffled in his arms. “Look at me Melissa.” She turned in his arms to face him and he wiped the tears from her eyes. “They’re my family, only real family I ever had, only people to give a damn about me. I ain’t gonna lose them. We’re gonna find ‘em and take ‘em back to the rest of the family. Do you believe that?” She nodded her head and sniffled some more. “I’d hate to think you’re doubting my skill and an expert hunter and tracker,” he said and smiled at her. She tried to smile back at him, but couldn’t make it convincing enough. “Just close your beautiful eyes. We got a long trail ahead of us tomorrow.” He put his arm around her and she laid her head on his bare chest. She knew Daryl would keep her safe, she knew she could keep him safe, but also knowing that they would be trailing a probable psychopath didn’t calm her nerves. She soon felt his breathing slow until she knew he was asleep, while she lay there thinking about what they would be walking into next.


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry it has taken me so long to write and post this chapter. I lost my way, more that once and life is a bitch sometimes. Please leave a comment, I love reading them. They stroke my non existent ego.

Chapter 22

 

Merle awoke early the next morning, eager to begin his search for Daryl. He stopped by the Governor's apartment to let him know that he planned to be gone for about a week looking for his brother. The Governor wanted him to take Martinez with him, strength in numbers he said, but Merle refused saying that Daryl was skittish around strangers and he didn't want to risk him bolting before he could talk to him. Phillip reluctantly agreed to the request and allowed Merle to leave Woodbury for the week. As he was loading his supplies into the bed of the truck, he saw a beautiful blonde walking on the other side of the street. "Hey sugartits, how ya doing this morning?" He said as he walked across the street to greet her.

"I'm doing just fine Merle. How are you?" she replied sarcastically.

"Got me a good feeling about today. Imma head out, find my brother and bring him home."

"Do you even know where to start looking Merle? He could be miles away from the farm by now, if he survived."

"That boy can survive anything blondie. I ain't worried about that."

"Where ya gonna start, huh? Do you have any idea what direction he might have gone in?" Andrea asked.

"Our illustrious leader just got back from a scouting mission. Shumpert and Martinez said they saw a group of people out that way and one of 'em had a crossbow. Bound to be him, haven't seen a lot of those lately."

She patted him on the chest, "I hope you do find him. He and I bonded back at the farm, and I would love to see my friend again."

Merle side-eyed her suspiciously. "You did what with my baby brother? He don't bond with anyone."

"I know, but this was pretty close." She ended the conversation abruptly and walked passed him and down the street.

"Hey girlie! Why didn't you and I ever hook up?" he shouted at her retreating form.

"You called me a whore and a rug muncher, Merle," she yelled back at him as she turned the corner. He shook his head and snickered, "I sure got a way with words, don't I?" he said to himself.

 

"How long do you want me to wait to pull outta here boss?" Martinez asked the Governor.

"Give him a thirty minute head start, you should be able to track him, right?"

"Yeah, I'll watch him leave, see what direction he heads in. You really think he's gonna fuck you over?"

"Merle's been loyal to me and this town, He's the type of man I need at my side and if his brother is anything like him, we'll do good to have them on our side. But I'm not ignorant Martinez, I know how strong familial loyalty is also, especially in these times. The only thing Merle has wanted since we found him was to find his brother. I'm just afraid that in all his excitement, he might forget to come home. He may decide that he would rather take his brother and leave us, and I can't let that happen. I just want you to keep and eye on him. If he finds him, make sure they both make it back home, preferably alive. I'm gonna need help dealing with all the new members of our community and he knows how to do that better than anyone else."

"Alright boss," Martinez said walking to the door. "What if he doesn't find him and still don't come back after a week?"

"I would still like to have him back home alive, but if that proves to be a difficult task, do what you have to do. I need at least one of you to come back."

 

It took Merle about two hours to reach the housing development. From the outside, he could see no evidence of anyone being there. He didn't see any vehicles that weren't stripped or rusting out. He had hoped to find his precious motorcycle, but there was no sign of it. Shumpert had told him which house they had stayed in, but he didn't know what direction their guests had come from. He started at the house Shumpert had told him about and went straight to the basement. He found nothing but overturned chairs and pieces of rope. Searching the rest of the house, he found no evidence that Daryl had been there, so he moved on checking the three houses on either side. By mid-afternoon, he was tired, hungry and frustrated. Not one sign of his brother anywhere. He went back to his truck and ate his lunch, a bag of deer jerky and a can of mixed fruit. He looked at all the houses, trying to see if anything stood out to him. He was only gonna look at two more, then call it a day.

He decided to spend the night in the last house he checked. There was something different about this one. He noticed that immediately. There had been a fire in the fireplace not too long ago, less than twenty-four hours. There were empty food cans in the trash and blankets on the floor. When he went upstairs into the bedroom, he finally found the evidence he had been looking for, a leather quiver filled with homemade bolts. "Hot damn little brother," Merle exclaimed. "You a dumbass for leaving these, but I'm damn glad ya did."

 

When Martinez pulled up to the development, he could see Merle's truck from the front gate. He hid his own vehicle behind some trees and bushes opposite the entry gate and sat watching for that asshole hick to show himself. He had never like Merle, of course Merle didn't like him either. The redneck was a bigot and didn't like anyone who wasn't white. He knew the Governor didn't trust Merle, but kept him around to do the dirty work. He had no problem killing anyone the Governor wanted dead. He had no conscience or scruples. He figured Merle wasn't good for much else. He figured he had been in a drug gang before the world went to shit, he was higher than a kite when they found him in that box truck with his whole hand off. Martinez knew the Governor wanted Merle back in Woodbury alive, with or without his brother, but he wasn't under any obligation to protect Merle. If that asshat got bit, or shot, well that was none of his business. He had been the Governor's right hand before Merle came along, he would be again.

 

Michonne was sitting on the bed in their little room when Andrea walked in. "Did you talk to him?" she asked before the door closed.

"Yes I did. He doesn't understand why you don't like him. He wants to know what he can do to make you trust him."

Michonne stood from the bed and walked over to her friend. "He can give me my weapon back, and let us leave."

"I know you don't feel comfortable here Mich, but it's safe and secure. There are people here, we can build relationships."

"I don’t want to build relationships. I have you, right? That's all I need . . . and my katana, and my freedom"

Andrea sighed and walked to the small refrigerator in their room, grabbing a bottle of water. "We have freedom here. We can walk the streets freely, we can go anywhere we want, and Phillip said he would be happy to return your katana. All you have to do is go pick it up."

"I could always go wherever I wanted whenever I wanted. That's not what I'm talking about. I want to do those things without being watched. He has eyes all over this town Andrea, you know that. Merle, Martinez and Shumpert. One of them is always around.

"It's called security, they're just keeping everyone safe. Please Michonne, go get your katana and talk to Phillip. Just get to know him and give this place a chance, for me. Please?"

"I'll talk to him," Michonne acquiesced, "but I'm not pulling any punches. I don't think he is the man he portrays himself to be, and I'm gonna prove it."

 

"Fuck!" Daryl exclaimed loudly and slammed on the breaks, causing Melissa to do the same behind him. He turned off the engine and sat cursing himself until his companion walked up to the window.

"What happened Daryl? Are you okay?" she asked leaning into the truck.

"We left the goddamn bolts at the house." He was pissed and frustrated. His legs were beginning to cramp up from all the driving and he was hungry. When he realized they had forgotten the bolts and sticks, that was the last straw.

"It's okay, we can make more. Let's take a rest, eat lunch and then we can collect more sticks," Melissa said in a soothing tone. He looked at her smiling face and it calmed him down. "Alright," he said and stepped out of the truck. He helped her grab some food cans and bottles of water and they settled in a clearing on the side of the road where Daryl began to collect wood for a fire.

"Think I'll see if I can get us a couple of squirrels or a rabbit to go with this feast. Won't be long, go ahead and get the fire started." She found enough sticks to make a spit and assembled them over the flame. There must have been a lot of activity in the woods, because fifteen minutes later Daryl returned with two squirrels and a rabbit attached to his belt. She helped him skin them and put them on the spit. Afterwards, he sat next to her by the fire, so close their thighs were touching. She remembered that she had the camera in her bag and took it out. "I want a picture of both of us, together. We can do one for you and one for me."

"Alright, if that's what you want," he said feigning annoyance.

"It's not all that I want," she said coyly, "but this will do for now." He put his arm around her as she lifted the camera trying to get them both in the shot. When the pictures were developed, Daryl took a pen out of his bag and wrote their names at the bottom. "Just in case you get knocked over the head and forget who I am," he said, trying to make a joke.

"I'll never forget you Daryl. It would leave a hole in my heart." He kissed her deeply and ran his hands over her arms.

"I don't deserve those kinda words, but I can't tell you how good it feels to hear 'em. Especially from you." He kissed her again and moved his lips down her jawline to her neck. When his stomach interrupted them, he laughed. "Guess I'm hungry for food too."

They ate their fill of squirrel, rabbit and canned fruit, Daryl also downing a can of peas in addition. They packed up what meat was left and extinguished the fire. Then they set out to find new bolts. "Left the damn quiver too. Gonna hafta find something to carry 'em"

"Maybe we'll find a town or a sporting goods store. I would think there would have been a lot of hunters around here."

"Hope so. Can't really hold 'em and use the bow at the same time." They called it a day after finding about twenty good sized sticks and Daryl sat them in his truck on the passengers seat, then he walked her to her truck. "Gonna try to find us a place to stay tonight, something with a roof. I think it's gonna rain soon, tonight or tomorrow and I don't want us getting stuck in it. If we find that sporting goods store we can grab a couple tents to take, just in case." She agreed and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I wish we had cell phones, or walkie talkies, or even a CB radio. Its too quiet in that cab all by myself."

"I know darlin'. I'll keep an eye out for something like that too." He kissed her slowly and opened the door for her to climb in Once he was in his own truck, they set off down the road.

 

Michonne stood at the door of the Governor's apartment. She didn't want to talk to him, she didn't want to go in there. She knocked three times and the door opened quickly. "Hello Michonne," the Governor said smiling. "So glad you came by. You're here for your sword, I assume."

"Yes, I am." She said sternly.

"Please come in," he offered and stepped aside so she could pass. "Have a seat, I've kept it safe in my cabinet. I'll just be a minute." He turned to go into the other room, but Michonne did not make herself at home. She stood watching him walk to the glass cabinet in the corner and remove her katana. "It's a beautiful weapon. It must be an amazing sight seeing you wield it. I'm sure you manipulate it with deadly accuracy." He stared her down as he offered it to her.

"I do, as a matter of fact," she said curtly as she slung it on her back.

"Did you learn from a Master, or are you self taught?" He sat on the couch and invited her, once again to have a seat, which she refused.

"I was taking lessons before all this, but didn't get the chance to finish them. I learned the rest by trial and error. " She stared him down, wanting him to know he did not intimidate her. 

After a moment of silence, he spoke again. " Andrea tells me you're not happy here, that you don't feel comfortable. Why is that?"

"I don't trust you," she said simply. "This world you've created gives these people a false sense of security. They're helpless if this place is overrun. They will all die. Do you want their blood on your hands?"

He stood from the couch and went to the makeshift bar on the other side of the room and poured himself a drink. "These people are safer here behind these walls than any other place they could be. Most of them wouldn't survive out there, you're right about that, but they are safe because the walls are sturdy and secured, and because I have guards and snipers posted all over this town. I assign only the most skilled to wall duty. We haven't had one breech since I built this town, and I trust my guards to take out any threat they perceive. These people love me Michonne, they trust and respect me. Give it time, you will too."

She shook her head in amusement. "I'm glad you trust your men, because I don't. I'm glad these people respect you, because I don't. I'm not gonna lie to you Governor, I'm suspicious. There is something going on in this town, you're hiding something from these people and I'm going to find out what it is."

 

It was getting late, the sun was beginning to set and Daryl hadn't found a place to camp for the night. They had taken a few piss breaks and one heated make out break in Melissa's truck. They hadn't gotten as far down the road as Daryl had hoped and hadn't found any clues to the whereabouts of their friends. His eyes searched the road until he could see what looked like a chimney through the tree tops. He took a left and pulled to the side of the road. Getting out he went to speak to Melissa. "You see that chimney over top of them trees? I think that could be an old hunting cabin. It’s getting dark and we gotta find something fast. We'll take the trucks as far as we can and walk the rest."

She followed him, the trucks maneuvering quite well over the terrain. There weren't a lot of trees in this area, they had all been cut down years ago. Daryl parked the truck in front of a dilapidated shack, there were slats missing and a window broken out. The two grabbed their weapons and circled the hovel. This hadn't been a hunting cabin, Daryl thought, it hadn't been built for that. When he saw the small building in back, he knew exactly what this was. They found nothing on the outside and slowly approached the front door. He jiggled the door handle and found it was unlocked. He banged on the door a couple of times and waited for the telltale sounds of groaning. When he heard it, he looked at Melissa and silently conveyed their plan of attack. He pushed through the door and saw a walker, fat and balding, wearing a stained wife beater and an equally stained pair of jeans. It was shuffling toward the door when a bolt caught it between the eyes. Melissa followed as he entered the room. There were two rooms, the main room led to a kitchen with a table, stove and refrigerator. The two looked around but found no other threats, so they went out to the trucks and grabbed a few items.

Once they had disposed of the corpse and Daryl had barricaded the windows, he pulled a flashlight from his bag. "Come on, got something I want to show ya," he said and reached out to take her hand. "This place weren't no hunting cabin," he said as he led her to the back yard. "As soon as I saw this, I knew exactly what it was."

"An outhouse Daryl? You brought me out here to see an outhouse?"

"Pfft, ain't no outhouse woman." He opened the door and shone his light inside. There was a fairly large contraption surrounded by crates of mason jars full of clear liquid. "This here is a still, and these here jars are full of shine." He bent over to pick one up and handed it to her.

"Are we gonna drink this?" she asked as the liquid sloshed around in the jar.

"We could, if ya want, but not too much. I suspect you've never had shine before."

"No, I've had whiskey and beer, but that's it."

"Then you go slow. I also thought we could take some with us, just in case we meet people. We could use it to barter for supplies if we need to."

"Or burn down the whole town," she said laughing. She carried the one jar inside deciding the would pack up the trucks with some before they left tomorrow. She opened the jar and sat down in the ragged armchair in the corner. She sniffed it and made a horrible face.

"Probably don't taste much better than it smells," he said making fun of her reaction.

"I'm sure it doesn't, but I'm gonna take a sip anyway." Daryl went into the kitchen and found a mostly clean glass on the small countertop. He poured a fingertip size amount in the glass and handed it to her.

"Bottom's up!" she said and swallowed it all at once. Her eyes bugged out of her head and she began to cough uncontrollably. "FUCK! This burns like a bitch!" Daryl was rolling on the floor laughing his ass of at her.

"There's a reason they call it 'White Lightning' sweetheart." As soon as she regained her composure, she handed to glass to him. 

"I'm sure you're accustomed to the taste. Show me how a real man handles his shine."

"No thank ya. I don't want to get drunk and do something stupid," he said taking the jar and glass back to the kitchen. Melissa stood and followed him.

"What stupid? Like run around naked in the woods stupid?"

"Naw, never did anything like that. That was the kinda shit Merle pulled when he was drunk or high."

"Okay then, what stupid shit did you do?" He sighed and sat down at the table, "Fight's mostly. Merle always had a hand in that too. Sometimes . . . . I'd find a girl to fuck. I lose my inhibitions, not as scared or nervous around women when I drink." She sat in the chair opposite him.

"You're not inhibited around me, you don't seem nervous or anxious anymore."

"That's 'cause I know you. I know how you feel about me. Those other women . . . didn't know their names half the time. None of 'em ever wanted to know me."

"I'm glad you let me know you. You're not that arrogant, angry asshole who tried to put a bolt in my head the first time he saw me."

He smiled shyly at her, "That seems like such a long time ago. I don't even remember who he was anymore." He stood up and walked to the other side of the table. "Let's go to bed. I wanna hold you." They went into the main room and lay their blankets on the floor. As they laid together, he put his arms around her and pulled her tight into his chest and kissed her shoulder.

"I need you to touch me Daryl, please." He continued to kiss her and moved his hand to cup her breast.

"Just tell me where darlin'." She turned in his arms to face him. "Everywhere," she replied. He slid her shirt up and over her head and quickly unhooked her bra. As he latched on to her breast, his hands began to remove her pants. The heat that came from his touch and his mouth were causing an ache to build in her core. He licked her clit slowly, drawing moans from her. His hands played with her breasts as he licked and sucked her juices. "I could never get enough of you Melissa. You taste so good." She could feel her orgasm building and removed one of his hands and placed it on her stomach.

"Fuck me Daryl. Use your fingers and fuck me. Make me cum. I'm so close." He did as she asked and inserted two fingers into her tight channel. He pumped them in and out while never taking his mouth off her. She was writhing and moaning and he could feel her walls tighten around his soaking digits.

"Cum baby. Cum for me, all over my fingers. I want to feel you cum Melissa." She released her orgasm on him and he continued to move his fingers and mouth until she lay still. He sat up on his knees and leaned over her body, kissing her and letting her taste herself on his lips. He then put his fingers in his mouth and sucked them clean. He laid down next to her and wrapped his arms around her again.

"Do you need . . ?" He stopped her before she could continue. "No baby, I'm good. I just want you to know how much I love you and need you. I want you to know how much I love to make you cum."

"I love you Daryl, more than anything. You're such a good man. I don't know what I did to deserve you."

"I feel the same way sweetheart," he said and soon they fell asleep in each other's arms.


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Glenn has his time with the Governor, Merle makes a discovery, and Daryl and Melissa share a moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the long wait. I have not forgotten this fic, just lost my way. My muse sent me elsewhere. It is also a short one, and I apologize. I wanted to get this out for you, so forgive me. Let me know what you think by leaving a comment.

Chapter 23

 

"Where is Maggie?" Glenn asked desperately as soon as the door to the room opened.

"She's safe, don't worry. I've been taking very good care of her." The Governor slipped inside the room carefully and quietly. "I just came here to talk. You can have a calm, civilized conversation, can't you?" Glenn didn't respond, just glared at the seemingly intimidating man. "Now, I just want to know what you and your friends think you were doing sneaking around that house and my truck."

Glenn stayed quiet for another moment before speaking. "Tell me where Maggie is, let me see her and then I'll talk to you."

"Who is Maggie? To you, who is she? Is she your sister? No, a man doesn't get that look in his eyes when he talks about his sister. She your wife? Yeah, I think she is. I know that look. You're a man who is willing to do anything to save his women." He circled the chair Glenn was tied to. "I was that kind of man once. Now I'm willing to do anything to get what I want, and I want to know who you people are. How many people are in your group?" He paused and knelt down in front of his prisoner, "I'll let you see your wife, no talking, no touching. You initiate anything between the two of you and I'll kill her. Don't think I'm joking about that."

"I wouldn't imagine you have a sense of humor," Glenn replied and received a hard fist to the jaw for it.

"Killing her or killing you, doesn't make a difference to me. There will still be one of you left. Now can I trust you, or should I just kill you now?"

Glenn just stared at the man. He didn't trust him, and was pretty sure the Goververnor didn't trust him either. "Let me see Maggie and I'll talk to you." The Governor opened the door and a large black man came inside. "Shumpert will take you to see your wife." He put his finger on the giant man's chest, “Take him the back way. He draws any attention to himself, you can kill him. If you do, make sure his wife sees it."

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Merle woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed the next morning, eager to get on the road and find his baby brother. He snatched up the quiver with half made bolts and put them in the back seat of his truck. As he stepped outside, he could see the gated entry of the community. There was something beyond the tree line reflecting the early morning sunlight. He was being watched, by someone who didn't know the first thing about hiding themselves. He had a suspicion of who it was, but couldn't be sure just yet. He went back in and made a sweep, gathering his own things and looking for anything else he could take with him. He pretended to not see the truck that he recognized as he pulled through the gate.

After forty-five minutes, he stopped in the middle of the road. The remnants of a campsite on the side and two sets of tire tracks in the center. He got out of the truck and investigated the skid marks first. Definitely two vehicles, and by the size and spacing he knew they were trucks, heavy duty by the look. He looked around as he walked to the stack of logs that had made a fire. He kicked them around a bit and searched the surrounding area. What looked like a crumpled piece of paper caught his eye and he walked the four feet or so to pick it up. When he turned it over in his hand, he smiled and laughed. "Well baby brother, looks like I'm on your tail. Now I just gotta find out who this bitch is tagging along with you."

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When Daryl woke up the next day, Melissa's naked legs were wrapped around him. He took a deep breath and smiled. Every morning when he woke up with her was a miracle for him. She was still sleeping soundly and he felt her chest against his own as she breathed. This was a perfect moment for him and he didn't want to lose it or forget it. He very carefully unwound himself and went to her bag to retrieve the camera. She stirred slightly, but her position didn't change. She was on her side, head resting on an outstretched arm, her other hand palm down in front of her. Her hair was spread wildly around her, some covering her face, some draped down her back and the rest splayed across the floor. The blanket was haphazardly covering only bits and pieces of her body. Her ass, one breast, and one leg were on display for him. He told her that they would never be separated and there wasn't really any reason to have the camera, but this was an image he wanted to keep. Maybe one day he would grow old and forgetful, and he would look at this picture and remember that a beautiful woman loved him once. Or maybe, he just wanted something to inspire him on those long hunts he would be taking once they found their friends and everyone was back together.

The sound of the shutter woke her, but her eyes didn't open immediately. She rolled onto her back and stretched, revealing more of her body to him. Then she looked at him and smiled, he was standing above her waving a Polaroid in the air. She grabbed the blanket and pulled it up on her. "What the hell are you doing Daryl?"

"I'm not doing anything," he said with a smirk. "Already did it." He tossed the photo down to her and went to the kitchen to find them something to eat.

She quietly looked at the photo and was surprised that she didn't feel disgusted by the image. Her face was barely visible, and her body was covered for the most part. She stood, wrapping the blanket around her and went to the kitchen. "I thought you said we didn't need pictures of each other, why did you take this?"

"Don't be mad. You just look so sexy laying there. That's an image I don't want to risk forgetting." He sat two bowls of canned fruit on the table and sat down.

"I can't believe I'm going to say this, and I never thought I would, but this picture isn't bad. Probably the only one I've ever been able to look at. You did a good job hiding the bad bits."

Daryl sat his plastic fork on the table and leaned forward. "You listen to me, I've told you this before, and this is the last time. There ain't no bad bits. I fell in love with you the day I saw you at the brook, the day I saw you bathing. All the women I'd ever seen were Merle's junkie whores. They's not the prettiest girls in the world, ya know. My brother would fuck 'em just to get a piece. I fucked 'em because they'd let me. Never aspired for anything better than that. Weren't no classy women running in our circle. Tell ya the truth, I thought you was pretty the first time we met. You're kinda cute when you're pissed, and you got a beautiful body. Your skin is the softest thing I've ever touched, and I've never seen breasts that fit in my whole hand,” he blushed and looked down at the floor. “I know I ain't supposed to say shit like that, objectifying women or something, but I never even dreamed that a woman as beautiful, sexy, and smart as you would give two shits about me. I love touching you and kissing you. You doubt any of that and we're gonna have a problem."

Melissa was on the verge of tears, “I’ve never loved anyone before, and no one's ever loved me. How can someone see good things in themselves if nobody else does? Boys, men, never looked at me. They always ran as far away from me as they could get. Never wanted to talk to me much less touch me. I hated myself because they hated me. I've never been good enough for anyone and wanted to kill myself so many times. I still can't believe you're here with me, that you love me. I can't possibly tell you how that feels."

"You don't have to; I know how that feels. My daddy spent almost sixteen years trying to beat into me the fact that I was worthless and nobody could love me. I accepted that and didn't even try to fight it. I'm kinda glad though, in a way, that none of those men wanted you. It means that I was the first one to see you, first one to kiss you and touch you. When we're together for real, I'm gonna be the first man to ever have you like that. That is the most mind blowing feeling I've ever had."

Melissa was speechless, she looked at him with tears in her eyes. "All this because of a picture," Daryl said and shook his head. He pushed his bowl away and stood. Pulling her up to stand, he cradled her tear stained cheeks in his hands. "I ain't never letting you go, never. I ain't letting anything happen to you. If I lost you I'd die. I just found you, can't live without you no more." He kissed her slowly, trying to convey his emotions through it. He had laid himself bare before her, and she had done the same with him. He wasn't scared or angry anymore. He was hopeful, something he had never been in his life.

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Glenn was being pulled down a hallway blindfolded. A couple of times he tripped over his own fast moving feet, and the giant black man just pulled him up by his shirt collar. Soon they stopped and the Asian man was thrown against the wall. "I'm gonna take the blindfold off, you make a sound and you're dead. Do you understand?" Glenn nodded his head and the blinder was ripped from his eyes. He was standing in front of a two-way mirror. He saw her, tied to a chair in only her bra and pants. A rage began to build up inside him and he almost lashed out, until he heard the man behind him cock his gun. "See, she's doing just fine. Now I'm gonna take you to the Governor and you can tell him everything he wants to know."


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merle finds what he's looking for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's been a long time for this one, but my muse hijacks my brain and I am helpless to stop her. I hope you enjoy this chapter, let me know what you think.

Chapter 24

 

Merle was getting tired, it was only late afternoon, but he was sick of being in that truck. That little bitch Martinez was behind him; he knew that for sure now. He knew the Governor had sent the man to follow him, either to make sure he returned to Woodbury with his brother, or to kill him. He needed to take care of this situation before he found Daryl; he would not risk the life of his baby brother for Martinez' jealousy or the Governor's sick plans. He soon saw his beacon in the form of a chimney in the distance and made a detour through the tree line. He knew that spic would follow him and he would be able to take care of him there. He was sure that chimney was attached to a cabin and there would be ample space to resolve whatever problems there were between them. 

As he approached the cabin he saw two full size trucks parked outside. The tire tracks he had found out on the road were a perfect match to the wheelbase of both vehicles. He also saw something very familiar setting in the bed of one of those trucks. Merle didn't know what made him happier, knowing he had caught up with his baby brother or laying his eyes on his beautiful Triumph for the first time in months. His smile could've made a blind man cry. He exited his own truck and looked around, there was no sign of Daryl anywhere. He walked up onto the porch and peered inside through the wooden slats on the window. There wasn't anyone inside that he could see, but there were a couple packs and some plastic bags lying around. He walked back to the truck that was holding his motorcycle and climbed onto the bed to fondle the handlebars. 

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Daryl wanted to do a little hunting before they hit the road; they were out of meat, and they would need to keep up their strength if they were going to find the rest of the group. He had been gone for almost an hour when Melissa decided to get a few jars of shine to take with them and went back to the shed. She didn't know how much Daryl wanted to bring, so she ended up carrying three small crates into the cabin. She sat them by the door and decided that she wanted a smoke, so she picked up a pack and walked toward the front door. As she passed the boarded up window, she heard something outside and grabbed a knife and her gun. Looking through the slats, she saw a living man in the bed of her truck untying Daryl's bike. Quietly, she turned the broken knob of the cabin door, holding her gun ready, with the knife in the sheath on her hip. Whoever the hell it was in her truck, he wasn't paying attention to shit, or so she thought. The door creaked a little as she opened it and approached the vehicle. The man had his back to her, and she easily snuck up on him and held her weapon in his direction. "Get your hands off the bike and your ass off my truck or I will shoot you in the head and follow it up with a knife between the eyes for good measure."

Merle heard the door and floorboards creak as someone walked out of the cabin. He knew it wasn't his brother; Daryl wouldn't have tried to conceal his presence. Whoever it was, and he was pretty sure he knew who it was, tried their best to approach with stealth. He allowed this person to approach him from behind; he had anticipated a problem could arise when he finally found his brother, especially know knowing that he had a traveling companion, and attached his machete to his stump. No one could sneak up on Merle Dixon, unless he let them. The one armed man released his grip on the motorcycle when he was told slowly turned around, holding his hands up in surrender. "Woah there missy. You better put that thing away before you shoot yourself in the foot."

"I told you to get out of my truck dumbass. That bike does not belong to you and if you think I'm gonna let you take it, you're more retarded than you look. I will shoot you in the head before you can take your next breath motherfucker, now move." Merle stepped down from the truck bed slowly, and walked confidently to stand directly in front of Melissa.

"Little lady, you have no idea who you're fucking with. That there is my bike, and I'm taking it back. If this were the good old days, you'd be on your way to the slammer for grand theft, however, the good old days are gone. There's no law no more, and I'm prepared to take it into my own hands if need be." He lifted his machete arm in an attempt to intimidate her, but she didn't back down.

Melissa wasn't afraid of this man; she wasn't going to let him take the motorcycle, no matter who he claimed to be. "I'm not telling you again, get the fuck out of here before he comes back. I will not be responsible for what he does if he sees you near his bike." Merle gave her his big, charming, Dixon smile and moved faster than he had since he stopped running from the law. He circled around her, taking the gun from her hand and pulling her arms behind her.

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Daryl was pissed as fuck; he hadn't been able to hit a damn thing; seemed like all his shots were a half a second off, barely missing every squirrel he'd aimed at. His mind was occupied with his missing family, those who had been taken, and those still at the cabin. After an hour, he decided to call it a day and head back to Melissa. As he got closer to the cabin, he heard loud, angry voices, one of which he identified as Melissa's. The other voice was harder to recognize because he hadn't heard it for so long, but once he did, he held his crossbow up, ready to strike. "Get your fucking hands off her Merle, or I will shoot a bolt through your feeble brain."

"Well now baby brother, I only got one hand thanks to your boy Rick, so how 'bout you put down your bow, take MY bike outta that bed, get your shit and we can leave."

"I told you to take you're fucking hands off her Merle. I ain't doing shit until you do." Daryl took a cautious step toward his brother and Melissa, never taking his eyes off her. She didn't look scared; she looked furious. He knew the minute Merle let go of her, she would cut him; he had to keep them from killing each other.

"Boy, you know better than to talk to me like that. I'll cut her throat faster than you can blink, unless you want to beg me darlin'; Merle loves to hear a woman beg." The wind whooshed as Daryl's bolt passed less than an inch from his brother's head and embedded itself in the tree behind him. Merle immediately let go of Melissa, and Daryl rushed to her, having to hold her back from slicing the other man's throat with her knife.

"He's my brother, Melissa. He won't hurt you." Daryl whispered in her ear, only half believing his own words. "Go inside, I need to talk to Merle for a minute." She didn't want to leave the two men alone. There was something bout Merle she didn't trust, other than the obvious, of course, that made her worry for their safety. She ignored her gut and reluctantly left to go back into the cabin.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing Daryl? You could have fucking hit me with that thing! You pissed off I'm not dead, so you gonna try to take me out!" Merle was furious that his brother had shot a bolt at his head and stomped toward him; when he was close enough he landed a punch directly to his brother's face.

"Fuck you Merle! If I'd a wanted to put that bolt in your brain, you'd be dead right now! You weren't listening to me, I told you to let her go! That's what you get for not doing it!"

"Don't you talk to me like that boy. That bitch of yours wouldn't give me my bike. That's MY bike, she's not gonna keep me from it."

"She was protecting your bike dumbass; she didn't know who you were. I told her the bike belonged to my brother; how the fuck was she supposed to know what you look like? And if you call her a bitch one more time, I will shoot you in the balls."

"Well, well baby brother. You as protective of her as she is of my bike, huh?" He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. "I guess that explains this." He handed the paper to Daryl, who unfolded it.

"Where did you get this?" Daryl asked. He regarded the picture thoughtfully, remembering when it was taken.

"Along the side of the road; saw some tire tracks and stopped to check 'em out, and noticed what looked like a camp site along the tree line. I found that on the ground; been looking for you for a while now little brother, even though you never came looking for me."

"We went back to Atlanta to get you! All you had to do was stay where you were, we would have found you! But no, you cut off your goddamn hand and ran off, like a fucking coward!"

Merle was just as outraged as Daryl was with where this conversation was going. "I ain't no goddamn coward. Your buddy Rick and that nigger made sure I wasn't gonna make it off that roof. They hated me, they left me to die. Those two cocksuckers separated us; they left you alone without me to look after you and protect you. I lost my hand because of them."

"You lost your hand because you're a simple minded piece of shit! You made the choice to get high; that put everyone in danger! You didn't give a goddamn about any of those people; Andrea, Glenn, T-Dog, none of them! You only ever cared for yourself Merle, you never gave a shit about anybody, not even me! You never looked out for me or protected me! I was always on my own, you lit out the first chance you got, left me with him!" Daryl turned his back to his brother and started to walk away when Merle grabbed him by the shirt collar and pulled him back, ripping his shirt. He gasped loudly when he saw his brother's skin. He hadn't known what their father did to Daryl, he hadn't been around for any of that. Merle had wasted those years getting drunk, getting high, and generally not being in the vicinity of his baby brother, leaving Daryl to bear the brunt of their father's hatred and anger alone.

"I . . . I didn't know. I thought it was just me; I didn't think he would hurt you. He hated me 'cause I was just like him and wouldn't take his shit. If I'd have stayed, I would have killed him. I never thought he would take it out on you," Merle said, hanging his head.

"Bullshit Merle! He took it out on Ma and she was nothing like him! He didn't have anyone to take his shit out on after you left. You never came back, never; not until he was dead. You only gave a shit about getting high and getting laid; don't think I'm gonna believe that you give a flying fuck about me now." Daryl jerked away from his brother and marched back into the cabin.

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Michonne finally took Andrea's advice and explored Woodbury; although not the parts Andrea would have suggested. She walked down every alley and behind every building trying to find the Governor's secret. Eventually, she hoped to make her way back to his apartment; knowing he would keep the most dangerous secrets close to him. On the south end of the wall, behind a large warehouse, she heard growling. Looking around she saw no one, not even a guard, and drew her katana. Silently, she crept up to an unlocked dock door and walked though; the room was enveloped in darkness, and the moaning and growling seemed louder and closer. Feeling around in the dark, her hands landed on cold, iron bars. Michonne made her way down the hall to another unlocked door with light seeping in around it. A longer hallway lay behind that door, and holding the katana high, she continued on.

The end of that hall held more iron cages, like prison cells, and she recognized the sounds and smells the occupants were emitting. Two cells held at eight walkers, and they smelled her coming the moment she had come through the door; they were riled up and hungry. She stood against the opposite wall and observed them; their worthless arms poking through the bars, reaching for her. She wondered why they were there, what the Governor's plan was that involved them. After a few moments contemplating her discovery, she made a decision; whatever the Governor had planned she could not let it happen. Unlocking the cells, she stepped back, allowing the walkers to escape their cage; she cut them all down, taking each of their heads, one at a time. When the floor was covered with twice dead corpses, Michonne re-sheathed her sword and exited the nearest door.


End file.
